Jeff Fortenberry: “As we think about the history of America, one of our finest hours as a country came on the shores of France on…”

“As we think about the history of America, one of our finest hours as a country came on the shores of France on D-day--June 6, 1944. We are all familiar with the general details of that battle--the missed zone drops of the paratroopers the night before, the slaughter that met the first assault on Omaha Beach, and the heroics of our rangers at Pointe du Hoc. But, Mr. Speaker, among the lesser known facts, the troops that hit Utah Beach, under the command of General Theodore Roosevelt, actually landed in the wrong place; and while landing with his men and realizing his error, General Roosevelt responded by saying, ``The war starts here.'' Mr. Speaker, after American forces landed on that day, fought across Europe with key allies, and, ultimately, defeated the Nazis, the United States was cast into the role of the world's lone superpower. Now, not perfectly, but at great sacrifice to our country, we then began to create the space for international order. We forged the conditions for international commerce, including helping other countries develop their economies and create governing systems rooted in high, universal ideals. Mr. Speaker, as we know, times have changed. We no longer live in a unipolar world, and in the wake of last month's horrifying attacks in Paris, America's longstanding ties with the French have gained a new significance.…”