John Cornyn: “Memorial Day is a day we have set aside to remember those who have given their lives--``the last full measure of…”

“Memorial Day is a day we have set aside to remember those who have given their lives--``the last full measure of devotion''--in service to our country. As President Abraham Lincoln looked out across the cemetery at Gettysburg, he honored the sacrifice of the soldiers who had died there and how their sacrifices preserved the Union and advanced the cause of freedom. For more than 200 years, men--and later, women--have donned the uniform and met the many challenges of serving our great Nation and the ideals on which it was founded. Countless numbers of them have paid the ultimate price--and we honor them today. Our freedom was not free. It was bought and paid for by the sacrifices of generations that have gone before. We honor these heroes for their courage and for ensuring that our own freedom is more than a dream--that it is indeed a reality. Those who fought in our country's Civil War are long passed. And many of those brave men who served in our World Wars too have passed. Members of what we fondly call the ``greatest generation'' are leaving our midst in record numbers, and we mourn their passing--these brave men who liberated so many from tyranny. They are gone, but they certainly are not forgotten. Memorial Day is not merely the opportunity for a 3-day weekend. It is our duty--indeed, it is our privilege--to reflect on the sacrifices that have paid the price for our freedoms.…”