A resolution recognizing Veterans Day 2014 as a special "Welcome Home Commemoration" for all who have served in the military since September 14, 2001.

Mr. President, I thank my good friend from Connecticut. I appreciate his unwavering commitment to continue to fight for justice and fairness for all, and he does it every day.

I am here to say happy birthday to West Virginia. Tomorrow, June 20, we will be 151 years old, and I rise to honor my great State.

I have often said this: Some of us were lucky enough to be born and raised there--and I am one of the lucky ones--some people were smart enough to move there, and some people just wish they could get there. So under any circumstance, we will take you.

This is a State that truly embodies a brave and daring declaration of statehood that is unprecedented in American history.

Born out of the fiery battles of the Civil War, West Virginia was founded by patriots who were willing to risk their lives in a united pursuit of justice and freedom for all. Since that day 151 years ago, June 20, 1863--when our State officially became the 35th State admitted into the Union--West Virginia's rich culture and strong traditions grew.

That year the Great Seal of the State of West Virginia was adopted-- and we all have our seals and preambles in all of our States--depicting who we are as a people and our culture. With our birth date's inscription forever engraved in its center, the seal features a big boulder rock with two crossed rifles and a liberty cap sitting on top to express our State's importance in fighting for liberty and justice.

On either side of the boulder stand two men: On the left, a farmer stands with an ax and a plow to represent agriculture. On the right, a miner stands with a pickax and a sledgehammer to represent industry. Finally, along the outer ring is carved the text ``State of West Virginia'' and ``Montani Semper Liberi,'' which means ``Mountaineers Are Always Free.''

That Great Seal of West Virginia, designed in 1863 during America's bloody Civil War, leaves a lasting imprint of who we are as the people of West Virginia.

Just like the farmer and miner on our seal, we cannot forget the countless others who fought for our freedom and embarked on our State's improbable journey to independence from Virginia and to our very own place in the Union--a land of the free and home of the brave. We believe--and we believed way back then--that justice would prevail.

Those pivotal figures climbed over mountains, crossed raging rivers, tussled through thick forests, and fought against bondage and oppression to be free. Their resilience succeeded, and because of their bravery and patriotism the ``mountaineers'' are still always free.

Ever since our historic beginning, we, the people of West Virginia, have never failed to answer our country's call. We have almost more veterans per capita than any other State in the Nation. When 9/11 happened to our great country, there were more West Virginians percentagewise who signed up to enter all branches of our Armed Forces to fight for our country. I am so proud of each and every one of our West Virginians and our veterans and the people serving today.

Ever since we chose the stars and stripes and chose to live under a Constitution that promised a constant pursuit of ``a more perfect Union'' of States, no demand has been too great, no danger has been too daunting, and no trial has been too threatening.

Our State's abundance of natural resources, coupled with the hard work and sacrifice of our people, have made America stronger and safer. Since our birth, we have mined the coal that fueled the Industrial Revolution, powered our railroads across the continental United States, and produced the steel that built our ships, skyscrapers, and our factories. Our little State has given every ounce of blood we have.

To this day, West Virginians continue to generate the electricity that lights our cities, heats our homes, and powers our businesses. We have also filled the ranks of our military forces in numbers far greater than should be expected from our little State of less than 2 million people.

West Virginia's population holds one of the highest percentages of veterans among all States. As I always say, West Virginia is one of the most patriotic States in the country. We always have been and we always will be.

``The best steel comes from the hottest fires.'' My father always told me that, and the fires of the Civil War transformed us. We forever branded ourselves to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the guarantees of the U.S. Constitution--and, as the ``mountaineers'' who will always be free.

We are tough. We are independent. We are inventive. We are honest. Our character has been shaped by the wilderness of our State. With welcoming mountains, countless hollers, rushing streams, boundless blue skies, and dense green forests, we have it all. West Virginia is a place of coal mines and soaring eagles, Boy Scouts and community leaders, sparkling lakes and captivating mountains, winding backcountry and smoky barbecue joints, battlefields, and hidden trails, college towns and small towns, and it goes on and on. West Virginia is a place of power, pulse, and passion--a special place I get to call home, along with other West Virginians.

Yes, we have had our ups and downs, our setbacks and triumphs, famous family feuds, neighborly fights, timely trials, and unexpected challenges have been thrown our way, but the spirit of West Virginia has never been broken, and it never will. I learned a long time ago, growing up in the small coal-mining town of Farmington, WV, with hardworking men and women, when things get tough, by God, we just got tougher. That is the way it had to be to survive.

Tomorrow, as people across West Virginia celebrate West Virginia's 151st birthday, a day we now also know as West Virginia Day, I encourage all West Virginians to remember who we are, from where we have come, and where we are going to go. I encourage us all to remember the first mountaineers and the brave leaders and strong laborers who paved the way for us and for future generations to come.

We have so many reasons to be proud of our beautiful State, its kind and compassionate people, powerful landscapes, unique customs, rich culture, and fascinating history.

John Kennedy, in 1963, when he came for our centennial celebration and spoke on the capitol steps, once said: Sometimes it is raining cats and dogs. Sometimes the Sun doesn't always shine in West Virginia, but the people always do.

He was so correct, as he felt the heartbeat of our State.

Every West Virginian contributes to our State's amazing story, and on West Virginia Day I encourage all West Virginians to seize this opportunity to imagine the future of this great State--and this Nation--and be proud of how far we have come and how far we will go together.

We are West Virginians. Even in the darkness and the gloom, we look to a just God who directs the storm, and similar to the brave loyal patriots who made West Virginia the 35th star on Old Glory, West Virginians' love of God and country and family and State remains unshakable, and that is well worth celebrating every year.

So God bless every West Virginian. God bless those who came before us and who will come after us. Happy birthday, West Virginia.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I rise to talk about an American memory and the absence of a memory, and the lesson I draw both from the memory and the absence compels me to submit a resolution.

First, the memory. I would submit that the most known photograph in the history of the United States is the Alfred Eisenstadt photo of an American sailor kissing a woman in Times Square on V-J Day, August 14, 1945, at the end of World War II. If one Googles ``V-J Day photo,'' you will find more than 31 million links. Joy, celebration, gratitude--the photo says it all.

It was important to celebrate the end of that war and to thank those from that ``greatest generation'' who had made it possible by serving, and we have continued to celebrate them, most recently in the recent commemoration of the 70th anniversary of D-day.

Now the absence of a memory.

Where was that photo, where was that iconic moment of joy and celebration at the end of the Vietnam war? There was none. No iconic photo, no ritual moment of celebration and thanks--and that was a mistake.

This generation of Americans has lived through a war that began in the days after 9/11. I recently heard a student about the same age as our pages say, ``While I don't know war, all I've known is war.''

The combination of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn has lasted 13 years. It is the longest period of war in the history of the United States.

During these 13 years of war, over 2.5 million Americans have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands completing multiple tours. This is from an all-volunteer force that comprises less than 1 percent of the American population.

More than 6,800 of our armed services have been killed in action, and more than 52,000 have been wounded in action.

Now this long period of war and sacrifice is coming to an end. U.S. combat operations in Iraq ceased in 2011, and all U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan will end this year, by the end of 2014.

Of course, while the combat mission may end, the sense of duty of our servicemembers continues and global challenges continue and U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan in noncombat positions, just as U.S. troops remained in Germany and Japan and Korea in noncombat posts.

But in a deep and fundamental way, 2014 represents the end of a momentous and generation-defining war. The question for this generation of Americans is: How will we commemorate the end of this war?

When the war started, it started with a catastrophic attack on the World Trade Center and on the Pentagon in Virginia, with solemn speeches by the President to Congress and to the American public-- whether delivered in the Capitol or standing on piles of rubble at Ground Zero--with Congress debating and voting to do the most serious thing the Nation does, which is go to war.

It began as serious undertakings should--with a sense of seriousness and purpose and even ritual. That is how this war began in America.

How will we choose to end it? Will we take steps to publicly commemorate the end of the war or will we just allow the important moment to pass, unacknowledged and unrecognized, with no iconic moment or memory? Will we celebrate with and thank those who have served or will we just turn our attention to the next headline or the next issue or the next scandal or the next crisis?

I believe that as a generation we do not want to repeat the mistake of the Vietnam era and allow the sacrifice of so many to just pass unnoticed. So, together with my cosponsors Senators Burr and Blumenthal, I submit today a resolution calling on the Nation to hold the special ``welcome home'' commemoration on Veterans Day 2014.

November 11 is the day we honor the sacrifice and service of every generation of American veterans. November 11, 1918, was generally regarded as the end of hostilities in World War I, and since 1938 America has paused on November 11 to recognize veterans of all wars. This year, after 13 years of war, we wanted to designate November 11, 2014, as a special ``welcome home'' commemoration for all who have served in the military since September 11.

We submit this resolution with the strong support of veterans organizations--the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans of America. The resolution promotes special awareness of our post-9/11 veterans. It encourages communities in the United States to plan activities for Veterans Day 2014 with a special focus on honoring and supporting those who served during this time.

I imagine, as mayor, that the Presiding Officer had Veterans Day commemorations in Newark. As Governor, we have them in Virginia, and communities all over the country are right now planning what they will do on November 11, 2014. This provides our citizens with a formal opportunity to present a unified recognition all across this country, at a designated moment, of the sacrifices made by our ``greatest generation.''

This resolution is not all we must do for our post-9/11 veterans. We owe them a better VA system. We owe them a job market that understands and values their skills. And with so many of our colleagues, we will keep working on those issues.

This resolution doesn't stand for the end of wars or conflicts. The daily papers will always be filled with wars and rumors of wars around the globe, and we know American troops will continue to stand ready to serve in harm's way for our best values. But for everything there is a season, and this year where we finish the war started earlier in this millennium, it is time to welcome home our post-9/11 veterans, to shine a light on their honor and sacrifice, to celebrate with those who have borne the battle, and to remember with affection those who will never return.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Veterans' Affairs Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 479 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the amendment to the preamble be agreed to, the preamble, as amended, be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as if in morning business.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I note the absence of a quorum.