Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the dire state of our American farm economy and our farmers.

American farmers and producers are the backbone of our Nation's agricultural economy and food security. Despite their critical role in our lives to feed, clothe, and fuel not only the United States but the entire world, our farmers are struggling to survive, and that is an understatement.

The current state of the agricultural economy is bleak and on the verge of collapse. We have problems all over the world. We have problems in our country. There is nothing more important--nothing more important--that we should be addressing than our food supply here in this country.

Costs for farmers are rising. Commodity prices are falling. Our farmers cannot break even, much less make a profit. According to the USDA, net farm income this year is projected to decline 4.4 percent from 2023--decline. That is a disaster.

This follows a shocking--listen to this--a shocking 19.5-percent decline in 2022. Not one business in this country can survive with this kind of decline, and our farmers and our farms are no different.

This means producers' income has plummeted 23 percent in just 2 years--23 percent. These figures represent over $40 billion in lost revenue for America's hard-working producers. This is the largest 2- year decline ever in our farm income--ever in the history of this country.

Right now, our row croppers, especially, are facing considerable financial hardship. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, row croppers had a $27.7 billion decline in cash receipts since last year.

In Alabama, my State, our producers are yielding bumper crops of cotton, peanuts, corn, and soybeans; and yet they can't profit due to rising costs of production. Our catfish producers are in the same boat. Rising input costs and falling fish prices are threatening to put them out of business.

A multitude of factors that producers have no control over are impacting their bottom lines, and I want to talk about one of them. This miraculous, this world-saving Inflation Reduction Act that we passed a few years ago was supposed to save our economy--supposed to save a lot of workers. Do you know what it has done to our farmers? It has almost put us out of business.

The Inflation Reduction Act started a tax credit for imports and exports. Unfortunately, all the tax credits are going to people and countries and farmers from overseas, Brazil and China.

It was supposed to go to our farmers. No, it is not going to do that. For some reason, this administration has given all the tax credits to the farmers from other countries, and our farmers are struggling.

The Biden administration has control--has total control--over our farm economy, but you haven't heard a peep out of them--not one peep-- about our farmers. And this is a disastrous year coming up.

And, right now, we are harvesting our crops, and they are bumper crops.

The issues plaguing American producers are directly linked to the harmful policies, as I just said, from the Biden-Harris administration. This includes the lack of domestic energy production, skyrocketing inflation, which comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, and endless-- endless--environmental hurdles.

Let me say something about conservation and all the things that happen in our environment. There is nobody--and I mean nobody--on the face of the Earth that takes care and is more conscious of environmental problems than our farmers, because they make a living off our land. But we are putting so many regulations on them, we are closing our farms down and running them overseas. We are going to have a national security threat because all of our food is going to come from foreign countries.

Farmers are experiencing rising costs of labor and increase in prices for feed, fertilizer, and pesticides. And I am not going to sugarcoat it: America's agricultural producers are facing a very tough road ahead. It is something nobody--the media, this building, the building on the other end, the House of Representatives, nobody is even talking about it.

Folks, if we can't eat, if we don't have food to eat, we are done.

Many farmers fear that their farm loans this year will not be renewed. They have to have farm loans to put a crop in the ground. They fear cash flows drying up and interest rates continuing to rise create an uncertain future for farming operations.

Although Congress only has a few legislative days left to act, we must stop adding fuel to the Biden-Harris administrative fire. We have to quit adding fuel. We have to help the farmers.

We need to pass the farm bill that helps our farmers. Democrats are in control of that. They have been in control of it for the last 8 years.

A farm bill is for 5 years. Four years ago or 5 years ago, the farm bill was $870 billion for a 5-year period. It runs in a 5-year period. So this past year, we were supposed to be working on the farm bill. I am on the Ag Committee. We go by the control of the Democratic Party. Our Democratic chairwoman has decided we won't do a farm bill this year. We are just throwing farmers underneath the bus.

They need help. You would think by looking at everything going on that my colleagues on the left would rather our food come from other countries--take over our farmland, control it, and do something else with it.

Producers need a strong safety net. We have to have a safety net for our farmers. Considering no farmers' risks are the same, we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach. Remember, we have a farm bill that covers livestock, hogs, row croppers, forest, fish. There are a lot of things involved. Farmers across the country have fluctuating levels of risk, impacted by land and equipment costs, access to irrigation, and variable input requirements. Southern row croppers rely heavily-- heavily--upon title I commodity programs in the farm bill, particularly the Price Loss Program and the Agriculture Risk Program. Yet Midwest producers heavily utilize crop insurance. Where there may be an overlap across regions among these programs, we must fix the entire farm safety net, not just parts of it.

Take the reference prices in commodity programs for example. Reference prices are how much the prices are in their commodity sales report. Our farmers are operating today on 2012 revenue prices--2012; 14 years later. The costs of production are 22 to 31 percent higher today than they were at that time, a decade ago, making current reference prices completely inadequate for our farmers.

We don't have time to waste. Our farmers are facing an uphill battle to remain in business, and we are going to find out pretty quick--the American people going to the grocery store are going to find out pretty quick what it is to be hungry if we don't wake up and smell the roses.

Even if a farm bill is passed today, producers wouldn't receive any commodity program support from this farm bill until 2026. Game, set, match, before 2026 for our farmers in this country. That is help our farmers need now to survive, not 2 years later.

Senate Republicans stand ready to act on the solid bipartisan bill that the House Agriculture Committee passed earlier this year. Yet Senate Democrats and the Biden administration refuse--they refuse--to come to the table to find practical, bipartisan solutions to the many problems our farmers are facing today.

Let's don't worry about our farmers. Let's worry about Ukraine. Let's worry about people overseas, the 800 bases we have around the world. Let's don't worry about eating. We can do without eating. That is what this administration is saying.

This forces us to look to supplemental appropriations packages to help our producers if we are not going to do a farm bill, renew their farm loans, and help for next year's crops. If they don't get help this year, we are going to have huge problems. They won't be pocketing this money, if we come up with some money, to help the farmers get a loan; they will just be planting another crop.

Without immediate action to assist producers, our Nation's agriculture industry may never ever make it back from the damage we are doing to them today.

America has lost--listen to this--America has lost 150,000 farms and 25,000 farmers in our country over the last few years. What? Mr. President, 150,000 farms closed up. Why? They can't make a profit.

You been on a farm for 100 years, you and your family, but you get to the point where you say, you know, I am not passing something down to our kids who really want to farm, but we are not going to put them in harm's way. We are going to sell. We are going to get out of the business, and we are going to let somebody else worry about it. Let's let the Federal Government worry about it.

Well, we do such a good job here, we would do a great job raising our food.

We can't afford any more losses to our farmers. Our farmers are hurting. They are hurting real bad. But have you heard anybody talk about it? No. You are going to hear a lot of people complaining about it, and there is going to be an uproar in the next few years when prices double and triple what they are today because we are not going to have food. It is going to come from Brazil. It is going to come from China. It is going to come from Vietnam.

We are doing severe damage to the farmers across this country, and nobody cares.

I will continue to be the voice of our southern agricultural producers in the Senate and ensure that we have a seat at table on this farm bill upcoming. But as I just said a while ago, if we do a farm bill today, we are going to lose at least half of our farmers in this country this year--this year--if they don't get some help.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, therefore, I object.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, if my Democrat colleagues were honest, they would call this bill what it really is: the ``Elective Abortion Travel Slush Fund for All Act.'' This bill authorizes 350 million taxpayer dollars for radical abortion groups to facilitate elective abortions.

And this money isn't limited to Americans. It would also give taxpayer money to noncitizens--illegal aliens--who are seeking abortions. This bill would use Federal funds to cover the cost of flights, food, hotels, and other expenses for any individual in the United States seeking abortion, paid for by the American taxpayers. It would even cover lost wages for those traveling to get abortion.

Fifty million dollars of taxpayer money in this bill would go directly to groups like Planned Parenthood to pay for advertising, website development, increasing staff, and building maintenance and construction, all of which will go to encouraging--if not coercing-- women to get abortions, not to seek alternatives.

Now, there is a major inconvenient fact that Senate Democrats are ignoring: The Hyde amendment is clear, no taxpayer funds may be used for abortion. My colleagues will say: Well, no, this money isn't paying for abortions. But let's be clear. This taxpayer money is being used for one purpose: to take the lives of unborn children.

While the actual abortion procedures aren't covered by this bill, it covers every other cost associated with ensuring abortions happen.

Democrats know the Hyde amendment prevents and prohibits Federal dollars funding abortions. It has been the law of the land for 48 years. It was democratically agreed to then, and it still stands today. Still, today, 60 percent of voters agree with the Hyde amendment--on both sides of the aisle--that taxpayer dollars should not be used for abortions. I am sure that percentage is even higher for illegals getting taxpayer money for abortions.

But Democrats really don't care. Despite what they say, they will override American voters if democracy gets in the way of their latest leftwing pet project.

Democrats know States have democratically decided what their laws on abortions are. Now they are trying to override the will of the people and the will of the States by using the Federal Government and millions of taxpayer dollars to achieve their goal. This is not only counter to the spirit of the Hyde amendment, it is contrary to the principles of federalism and the will of the American people.

As I pointed out for months last year with a similar illegal abortion policy Secretary Lloyd Austin implemented at the Department of Defense, no Agency--no Agency--is above the law. I called out the VA for implementing another illegal abortion policy.

This bill is just another page--another page--out of the Democrats' same extreme abortion playbook. This bill is a flimsy attempt to go around the law of the land.

Gone are the days of the Democrats saying abortions should be safe, legal, and rare. Democrats today want dangerous, illegal, and limitless abortions at any cost--any cost--to the American taxpayers.

So for that reason, Mr. President, I object.

Madam President, reserving the right to object, I rise today to join my colleagues in objecting to the fast-tracking of Biden-Harris's U.S. attorney nominations. This is a commitment we publicly made in June because of President Biden and Harris's unprecedented attacks on Donald Trump. It didn't have to be this way, but the Biden-Harris administration chose to target its political opponent in an election year. This is the direct result of the weaponization of a justice system they created.

This administration has shown time and time again that it is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain power. Whether it is lawfare against President Trump or allowing illegals to vote in elections, this administration is hell-bent on election interference.

If we don't return to the principles of our Constitution, we will be no better than Venezuela or communist China.

As long as this administration remains weaponized against the will of the American people, my answer is no. This is why I am objecting to unanimous consent of these U.S. attorney nominees today. It is not my intent to attack these nominees individually; rather, it is my intent to use my right as a Senator to restore the faith in the rule of law in the United States of America. It won't end well if we continue down this path.

I, for one, will never stop fighting against this weaponization of the Federal Government, I don't care who it is. By continuing to stand up for what is right, I believe Americans' faith in our institutions will be restored.

I withhold my objection to allow the junior Senator from Tennessee to be recognized.

Mr. President, our veterans embody the ideals of ``team'' and ``family'' that they learn in the military. For CSM Kevin Harkey, he shares this sense of family with those who need it most in his community. A Huntsville native, Kevin enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1990, at the beginning of the Gulf War. He started out as a mechanic, where he helped maintain our missile launchers. He later retrained as a nurse, serving as an EMT on the frontlines of the Iraq War.

Kevin received numerous medals for his efficiency and devotion, including being named as the 101st Airborne Division's NCO of the Year in 1999. His passion for mentoring the next generation prompted him to draft a ``study guide'' for upcoming soldiers on the 30th anniversary of his enlistment. In the guide, he reminds NCOs to ``Lead from the front.'' Another principle he teaches is the importance of ``being present'' for those you are leading.

It is no surprise that Kevin still demonstrates these leadership qualities, even since his retirement from the military. In his free time, you can find him mentoring students at local community centers with his Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He serves as a consistent role model for teenagers ages 10-17, many of whom come from single-parent homes. Additionally, Kevin is a proud father of three and grandfather of seven. Alabama is grateful for Kevin's investment in our next generation of leaders. It is my honor to recognize him as the August Veteran of the Month.

Mr. President, there is no doubt that our veterans inspire us to see the very best of America. They remind us of the sacrifices made for our country to be the best in the world. And their patriotism is the reason why the American dream continues to exist for future generations. MSgt Jerry Wheat of Wetumpka is one such example of patriotism.

Jerry joined the Air Force right after graduating high school in 1957, doing more than 40 combat missions during the Vietnam war. He flew more than 5,000 hours total during his three tours of service. Jerry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his flying missions over enemy territory.

After retiring out of Maxwell Air Force Base, Jerry and his wife decided to make the River Region their permanent home. But Jerry couldn't stay away from serving our military. He joined the Civil Air Patrol, where he worked for another 20 years at Maxwell, all while going back to college and becoming the first in his family to obtain a college degree.

Despite facing multiple health challenges from exposure to Agent Orange, he doesn't hesitate to say he would do it all over again. His influence is evident in the impact it has had on his family, including his granddaughter, who nominated him for this recognition. Jerry's story reminds us of the high price paid for us to have the opportunity to achieve more than those who came before us. It is my honor to recognize him as the September Veteran of the Month.

Madam President, on October 23, 1983, terrorists killed 241 Americans, including 220 marines in Beirut, Lebanon.

Last night, Israeli Defense Forces reportedly killed a top Hezbollah leader responsible for those American lives lost.

These dangerous policies at the DOD have consequences for our military readiness and the world stage.

Mr. President, when we think of coaches, we often think of athletic coaches. But our students also need dedicated academic coaches, like U.S. Army LTC Wayne Davenport of Trussville, AL. Wayne enlisted in the Army in 1985 after graduating from Huffman High School in Birmingham, AL. He served for 22 years, with tours in South America and Afghanistan as an officer in the 20th Special Forces Group. Because of his gift for building successful teams, Wayne was chosen to help redesign the special forces group following 9/11. His blueprint is still used to this day.

After retiring from the military, Wayne's desire to serve took him into education. And for 15 years, he has been using his talents to help students find confidence and reach new heights as the JROTC instructor at Gadsden High School. His supervisor describes him as a ``Godsend.'' This is evidenced by both his success and the success of his students. Recently, Gadsden High's JROTC team became the first program in Alabama to place as one of the most elite 32 academic bowl teams out of more than 2,000 teams in the world. But, that is not all.

Wayne also serves as the coach for Gadsden High's scholars bowl team, where he has led four teams to the national championship. He spends many early mornings and late nights preparing for these competitions without complaint. Additionally, Wayne is helping build a culture of academic excellence that begins long before students reach high school age. Now, he is training elementary teachers on how to begin preparing students at an early age so that Alabama's students can compete at all levels with other States.

I join the city of Gadsden and the State of Alabama in expressing our deep gratitude for Wayne's dedication to helping educate and influence the next generation. It is my honor to recognize him as the July Veteran of the Month.

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

Mr. President, this week marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy.

Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944, was one of the most significant events in human history. In those early morning hours, more than 24,000 soldiers and 1,200 aircraft conducted a massive and daring airborne assault behind enemy lines. This was done to isolate the coast and prevent the enemy from reinforcing its defenses.

Then, at dawn, the largest amphibious assault ever conducted--160,000 U.S., British, and Canadian troops poured out of 6,900 ships and vessels to storm the beaches against a crushing enemy fire. Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, Sword--the beaches' names are still famous today.

The first days were not promising for the Allies, but slowly over the next several weeks, the Allies extended their tenuous foothold and amassed more and more forces, eventually numbering 2 million on the beaches of Normandy.

After a German counterattack in early August failed, the breakout would begin. Paris would be liberated just weeks later, on August 25. Then, 5 days later, the enemy would withdraw back across the Seine into Germany--the end of Operation Overlord.

Losses were severe. On June 6--D-Day--alone, the Allies suffered more than 10,000 casualties. At operation's end, that number would swell to nearly a quarter of a million, including more than 153,000 wounded and 72,000 killed or missing--more than were killed in the entire war in Vietnam.

Most of D-Day's participants were young men in their teens and early twenties. Men with little or no combat experience and their whole lives in front of them landed on those beaches; men like my father, Charles Tuberville, a farmer from Arkansas, who was not yet 19. He was 18 years old when he landed at Utah Beach on that very day of June 6. I can't imagine what it must have been like to carry such an incredible burden at such a young age, to leave your family and loved ones, knowing you might not make it home. My dad would tell you it is because it was their duty. They loved their country, and their country needed them. They also understood that America and the freedoms we enjoy were worth fighting for.

I think of those men today, and I can't help but worry for my sons' and this country's future.

In the months leading up to this important 80th anniversary, we have been inundated with images from college campuses across our Nation. We have seen young people of similar age to the D-Day heroes protesting in support of terrorists, openly calling for the destruction of the society and freedoms that my dad and all these men paid for on D-Day with their blood.

So how did we get here? How did we go from producing the type of men and women who are willing to die on the beaches for freedom and our Constitution--how did we get here?--to college students who are openly supporting groups that chant ``Death to America''?

Sadly, our education system has failed the younger generation. Many of our major universities are more concerned with woke ideology than with quality education. They have no interest in teaching students the truth about our country and our founding principles. Many of our students are being taught to hate this country, to hate Americans, and the results speak for themselves.

More and more, high school students today can tell you everything you want to know about the made-up ``gender spectrum.'' They can carry on a conversation about that. But, you know what, they struggle to read at grade level and do basic math.

Our progressive education system, controlled by teachers unions, has made us rank 26th in the world in math--26th in the world in math--and 6th in reading. It is embarrassing. It is unforgivable. The teachers unions try to silence parents and cover for incompetence while our children are suffering.

Merit is now ``problematic,'' as our Nation has been taken over by the neo-

Marxist diversity, equity, and inclusion--or, as better known, called DEI--ideology. This woke teaching sows division by teaching our kids to resent each other.

Think about that for a minute. Our young people are the greatest resource that we have, but we are failing them. I worked in the education system for 35 years, and I am embarrassed. I am appalled. All to appease a radical ideology that has taken over this country.

As a result, the Army has had to lower its standards because many enlistees can't meet the minimum requirements. You heard that right. We have had to lower standards--our standards both mentally and physically.

We could learn a lesson or two from those heroes, like my Dad, who bravely served and stormed the beaches 80 years ago Thursday. Those men and women were united in the belief that America was a country worth fighting for.

So please join me, especially this Thursday, in honoring the brave heroes who risked and, in many cases, gave their lives for freedom and what we have today.

May we never forget their sacrifices and honor them by making sure our children know the truth about our great country and what happened on the beaches of Normandy that day, June 6, 1944.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, this month, I am proud to recognize U.S. Army Sergeant Alvin Lynch of Muscle Shoals. Born in Hamilton, AL, Alvin was drafted for the Vietnam War at age 21. He was deployed as part of the 82nd Airborne Division, participating in some of the most intense combat operations in Vietnam. Alvin was wounded in action, and had multiple brushes with death.

On one particular night, he decided to sleep on the small air mattress provided to him, instead of sleeping on the ground as he normally did. This decision to sleep on an air mattress would save his life. The mattress absorbed the blow of a piece of shrapnel from a nearby explosion, keeping it from hitting him instead. Another time, he escaped a battle in the jungle with a shoulder wound that left him in the hospital for 3 weeks. He was one of the few men in his platoon to survive the encounter.

Alvin credits the prayers of his wife and local church members for bringing him home safely. He received several awards for his heroism, including a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. For more than 40 years, he has been providing heating and cooling services to The Shoals region.

In 1981, he began working at C & H Cooling and Heating. He bought the business in 2006 with a friend and still runs it today. Alvin credits the military for teaching him discipline and how to deal with stressful situations that businessowners often experience. But the most important thing Alvin took away from his time in the military is his faith, and he does not shy away from sharing his testimony with others.

Alvin is now actively involved in Grace Life Church in Muscle Shoals, where he serves as an elder. Alabama is thankful for Alvin, and it is my honor to recognize him as the June Veteran of the Month.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that Abigail Clark, Addison Cole, Emma Blackmon, Jack Allison, Jaxon Dyer, John Gaston, Mary Douglass Evans, Owen Beaverstock, Preston McGee, and Virginia Anderson be granted floor privileges until August 2, 2024.

Mr. President, our national anthem closes with the lines ``O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?'' Usually sung as a declaration, the song's author actually intended for this to be a question, because while we often take our freedom as a guarantee, it should never be taken for granted.

President Ronald Reagan once said:

Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one

generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of

inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by

each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And

those in world history who have known freedom and then lost

it have never known it again.

Our freedom depends on men and women who are willing to defend it no matter what the cost.

This coming weekend, we will observe Memorial Day. It started as Decoration Day for the 1860s. Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday in 1968.

Many people would take this day as an opportunity to cook out, go to the lake, go to the pool, be around friends, but that is not the purpose of this day. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for all of our freedom--those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the honorable families they leave behind.

I think we can all agree our fallen heroes deserve to be remembered for more than one day a year. That is why I introduced the resolution to designate May as ``Fallen Heroes Memorial Month.'' I appreciate my friend

Congressman Dan Bishop of North Carolina for introducing this resolution in the House. I hope our colleagues will join us in passing this resolution because there is no cause more deserving for our time and effort.

Setting aside a month to recognize our fallen servicemembers and their families instead of one day is the least we all can do.

Mr. President, today I would like to recognize some of Alabama's fallen soldiers who have paid freedom's high cost and the families who still grieve their absence. You know, it is estimated that more than 81,000 American soldiers who gave their lives for our country remain unidentified--unidentified--since World War I.

For nearly 80 years, this was the case for Alabama's own Mess Attendant First Class Johnnie Laurie of Bessemer, AL. Johnnie was very active at the Red Mountain Baptist Church teaching both Sunday school and Baptist young people's union classes.

He graduated from Dunbar High School, where he competed in basketball and high jumping in track.

In 1940, Johnnie joined the U.S. Navy and was later assigned to serve aboard the USS Oklahoma. He was aboard the ship on the fateful day of December 7, 1941, when our country was attacked by Japanese aircraft.

Unfortunately, Johnnie was one of the 2,403 Americans who died at Pearl Harbor that day. He was awarded several medals posthumously, including a Purple Heart for paying the ultimate sacrifice.

Out of the 429 crewmen aboard the ship, the Central Identification Laboratory was only able to identify 35 of the 429. This mystery seemed like it would never be solved. But in July 2019, Johnnie Laurie's remains were identified, and he was finally able to return to his home State of Alabama to receive a proper hero's welcome. He is now buried at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, AL.

His brother Elmer, now 94 years old, continues to participate in memorial ceremonies to ensure the sacrifices of fallen heroes like his brother are never, ever forgotten.

Mr. President, for many of our heroes, the desire to serve began at an early age. That is the case of LCpl Thomas Rivers, Jr., of Hoover, AL. His parents and Thomas knew as a child that he wanted to be a marine, his lifelong dream. This desire only grew throughout his life, and he was motivated in everything that he did by this thought of becoming a marine.

He struggled, at first, in high school until a military recruiter told him he would need a high school diploma to enlist. Low grades were never a problem after that conversation. This was evidenced in an English essay he wrote entitled ``Why I Want to Go Into the Marines.'' In the essay, he wrote in part:

I don't think I would be afraid of combat and would be

proud to fight for my country.

He went on to say:

I believe that joining the Marines would be a great

experience for me because it will teach me to rely on God to

make it through.

Thomas joined the Marines as soon as he graduated from Briarwood Christian School in 2007. After completing training at Camp Lejeune, he deployed to Iraq and then to Afghanistan. His faith never wavered, despite the intense conditions of combat he was in almost daily.

He and one of his friends, one night, began a Bible study while deployed, leaning on passages of the Bible for comfort.

Corporal Rivers was killed by an IED explosion at the age of 22. His mother Charon spoke about how she never really got to know the fine young man she raised as he grew to be an adult.

Between deployments, he was unable to spend much time at home. Despite the devastating loss, Charon and her husband Tom find comfort in their faith and the belief that lives were changed through their son's story.

After Thomas's passing, Charon began a nonprofit that sent care packages to soldiers on the front lines of battle because she remembered how much Thomas loved receiving things from home. Through her efforts, she was able to send more than 5,000 care packages to soldiers overseas over an 8-year span.

Charon's reminder to us is that, for families like hers, Memorial Day isn't a happy holiday or just another day at the pool or cooking out. It is a day to remember heroes like her son Thomas, who answered the call to serve and courageously laid down his life for ours.

You know, President Franklin Roosevelt once said:

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy

forget in time that men have died to win them.

May we as Americans be a Nation that remembers the sacrifices made for the many freedoms that we all enjoy--not just on Memorial Day, but every day of the year.

May we never forget those like Johnnie Laurie or Thomas Rivers who didn't allow freedom to die on their watch, and may we hold their families near to our hearts as we go into this Memorial Day weekend.

I yield the floor.