Coronavirus

Floor Speech

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Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I want to start by thanking the Senator from Minnesota for her remarks just now.

I rise with her and to join Senator Duckworth and our colleagues in responding to the shameful comments that President Trump reportedly made about our servicemembers.

I want to begin by thanking Senator Duckworth for leading us in this effort and for her service to our country, as I thank all of the Members of the U.S. Senate and all of the staff of the U.S. Senate who have served their country and all of their families.

One of our Nation's greatest strengths is the countless Americans who, throughout our history, have been willing to sacrifice everything to keep us safe and preserve our freedom.

In New Hampshire, we are proud to be home to a high percentage of servicemembers, veterans, and their families. In my experience, people in my State--and all across the country--revere the bravery and sacrifices of those who serve and those who have served.

We may disagree about policy matters, including those that impact when and where servicemembers are deployed, but the respect that we have for servicemembers, veterans, and their families must be undisputed.

It is the President's duty to honor the sacrifices of our troops, to care for them, to support them and their fallen comrades. The role of the President of the United States of America is not just limited to being the Commander in Chief. Presidents should also lead by example and represent the values of the American people.

Unfortunately, President Trump has, yet again, expressed his disdain and lack of understanding of why people sacrifice for our freedom and democracy. This is a failure of leadership, and it is a failure of basic citizenship that is out of step with most Americans.

Last year, I joined a bipartisan group of Senators to travel to burial grounds in both France and Belgium, as we paid our respects to our World War II fallen servicemembers. It was the honor of a lifetime. It was also deeply personal, as my dad served in the Battle of the Bulge.

Standing on those hallowed grounds was a powerful reminder of the loss of war, of those heroes who gave everything to fight against fascism and to protect freedom.

We owe these heroes our profound gratitude and our deepest respect. Yet, when speaking of servicemembers who were killed or captured, the President referred to these heroes as ``suckers'' and ``losers.'' For such words to come from the President of the United States is an affront to all that we stand for, and it is beneath the office that he holds. Unfortunately, these comments were not surprising given the President's long line of denigrating comments against those who have served, including the late Senator John McCain, Gold Star families, and other American heroes.

The resolution that we are introducing today recognizes the unmeasurable debt that we owe to those who have valiantly served our country, as well as their families. This resolution condemns the repeated disrespect that this President has bestowed upon them. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle have seen the hurtful comments President Trump has made about members of our military. Every single one of us should condemn them.

I will close with this: My father didn't talk about his service in World War II very often, but he did talk about his unit, a group of men who came from as diverse backgrounds as our country is large. They had their disagreements. They didn't agree on politics. But they came together every day to win that war.

Of course, they knew that their lives depended on their unity, their cohesion, but they knew something else too, and this is what my dad always reminded us of. Sometimes, at the breakfast table, he would look up at us and say: ``What are you doing for freedom today?'' It was a question he had the right to ask because he was remembering his unit of men from all over the country, from all different life experiences, who knew that freedom, their country--our country--the United States of America, is worth fighting for.

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