Roy Blunt: “let me join my other colleagues in appreciation for Senator Ernst and her service in Iraqi Freedom, her two decades of…”

“let me join my other colleagues in appreciation for Senator Ernst and her service in Iraqi Freedom, her two decades of service, being ready and able to go whenever she was called to go, and her continued service here, and her appreciation for those who serve, which she feels in such a unique way. She pointed out that this is a different Memorial Day. Communities across Missouri and across the country have traditional events that were long planned on Memorial Day. Every year, Memorial Day looks the same. It will not look the same in very many places this year. If you did have a parade or an event planned, it was probably canceled weeks ago. Even with the best of efforts, it was probably not put together for Monday. But it doesn't mean that we still don't have an opportunity and an obligation, in fact, to remember those who served. Also, Memorial Day has long become a time, at least where I live, in the middle of the country--and it may be more southern and in southern Missouri than in other places. Memorial Day really became a day to remember all of those who have gone before us, those who passed along values to us, those who have done things that made life possible today. When I was growing up, sometimes we called Memorial Day ``Decoration Day,'' because it was the beginning of the tradition of Memorial Day, and people would go and decorate the graves of soldiers after the Civil War. That has continued.…”