Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to pay tribute to America's sons and daughters who have fallen in the line of duty--citizens of this great Nation who gave their lives to preserve the liberties upon which America was founded, the finest among us who, because they cherished peace, risked their lives by becoming warriors on our behalf.
What could be more sacrificial than the lives our service men and women choose to lead? They love America, so they spend long years separated from their loved ones, deployed in faraway lands. They revere freedom, so they sacrifice their own so that we may be free. They defend our right to live as individuals by yielding their own individuality in that noble cause. They value life, yet bravely ready themselves to lay down their own in humble service to their comrades-in-arms, their families, and their Nation.
For more than 234 years, our service men and women have served as guardians of our freedom. The cost of that vigilance has been high. Since the Revolutionary War, more than 42 million men and women have served in our military and more than 1 million of those selfless heroes have given their lives.
Wisconsin has borne its share of that great sacrifice. Since statehood, 27,000 of Wisconsin's sons and daughters have died in military service. Since September 11, 2001, we have lost 143 brave souls with ties to Wisconsin. Since I took office last January, 13 more have perished. Statistics cannot possibly convey the weight of these losses. After all, statistics are merely numbers that could never fully communicate the qualities of these fine men and women whose promising lives were cut far too short. Statistics say nothing of their unfulfilled hopes and dreams. So instead of numbers such as 1 million, 27,000, 143, or even 13, I would like to ask everyone to think for a moment about a much smaller but still staggering number, the number 1.
Each of these men and women was a loved one cherished by family and friends. Each was a loss to their community and to this great Nation. Each paid a price that we must never forget. We must also remember the sacrifice made was not theirs alone. Every family member and friend left behind experiences profound loss, sadness, and grief. The tragedy multiplies; it is not contained. For those left behind, the pain may slowly subside, but the wound will never heal.
Two weeks ago I had the privilege of bearing witness to the sacrifice of one of Wisconsin's fallen heroes and the courage of those he left behind. On February 22, a grateful Nation laid 1LT David Johnson of Mayville, WI, to his final rest at Arlington National Cemetery. I was honored to join David's loving and proud parents Laura and Andrew, his sister Emily, and his brothers Matthew and Michael as they said their final goodbyes. Out of sheer coincidence Michael was already scheduled to intern in my office this week and is with us today. It is fitting that we acknowledge his loss and sacrifice.
The Johnson family loved their brother and son. They loved him dearly and our hearts go out to them. I pray that they find God's peace and comfort today and in the tough times ahead as they deal with this overwhelming and tragic loss.
Lieutenant Johnson was only 24 years old when he died of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosion device on January 25 while leading his men in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
In addition to Lieutenant Johnson, today I would also like to pay tribute to the other Wisconsin heroes who gallantly gave their lives since I took office last January.
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May God bless and comfort their loved ones with peace. May he watch over those who have answered the call and are serving today and those who will serve in the future. May God bless America.
I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
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