The Price of Freedom
Nearly 250 years ago, our great nation was born. The decades that came before it were measured by a people whose spirit yearned for freedom from tyranny and the right to self-determination. We were founded by a people whose grit was equally matched by their hope for a new, free nation. But we all know how the story goes, and our freedom wasn’t easily won. It was fought for, and has since been, maintained by men and women who have taken on the duty of preserving our liberty. This week, we reflect on their service and thank them for their sacrifice.
One of the most profound Veterans Day speeches was given by President Ronald Reagan in his Veterans Day address from Arlington National Cemetery in 1985. He said, “It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars far away. The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray haired. But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives -- the one they were living and the one they would have lived. When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do is remember.”
This is the price of freedom: lives, goals, dreams forfeited by men and women who chose to fight for something greater than themselves. The moment we forget the price of freedom is a grave day for our country. And it’s never something we should settle quietly into. We should always remember that each one of us today and tomorrow must choose to preserve liberty, support our service members, and recognize the sacrifices they make.
This week, in the vote to reopen the government from the nearly forty-three-day shutdown, I also cast my vote for funding our Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill. Each year, Congress passes numerous pieces of legislation dedicated to funding our national defense, but this week, voting to bolster our nation’s defense capabilities and support our veterans by fully funding the health care and benefits they have earned in the line of duty was especially meaningful. Additionally, this legislation protects our veterans’ Second Amendment rights and implements historic heath record tech modernization to improve care, speed, and access.
This weekend, my hope is that you join me in taking a moment to reflect on the remarkable men and women who chose to sacrifice everything so we may live in a free and prosperous nation. I am immensely grateful and proud of every Arkansan who has served in the line of duty and I will continue to fight for them in Congress to ensure they receive the benefits they have earned.
If you or someone you know is having trouble with the VA, the Social Security Administration or any other federal agency, please visit my website at Westerman.house.gov or contact my Hot Springs office at (501) 609-9796. My office is here to help, and we stand ready to be of service to you.