Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1004, the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act. I am proud to have introduced the House version of this bill, H.R. 995.

This bipartisan legislation calls for two minutes of silence every Veterans Day. The set time of 2:11 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, will allow all Americans from coast to coast and Puerto Rico to come together as one nation to reflect on the service of our veterans, past and present. Generations of brave men and women have served the United States of America with honor, risking their lives to keep us safe and free. They deserve our support and, especially, our gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, our servicemembers have made, and continue to make, immense sacrifices. They leave their loved ones behind, operate in some of the most dangerous places in the world, and put themselves in harm's way to defend our nation. I have had the honor and pleasure of meeting with servicemembers during my Congressional Delegations abroad. I am always moved by their professionalism, courage, and most especially, their dedication to their families, fellow service members, and country. This Moment of Silence legislation will send a powerful message of appreciation to our veterans for all that they do on behalf of our nation.

I would like to express my thanks to the leadership of the Veterans Affairs Committee, as well as to the bipartisan group of cosponsors who were steadfast in their support of H.R. 995. I am grateful to Senators Kirk and Durbin for their leadership and stewardship of this initiative on the Senate side. I also wish to thank Daniel and Michael Bendetson, along with their father, Dr. Peter Bendetson, who first approached me with the concept of this tribute and have worked tirelessly for years to bring this proposal to fruition. Finally, I would like to thank all the veterans in the Eighth District of Massachusetts and across America, in whose honor I am proud to have introduced and supported the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act.

The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source