Friends,

With temperatures in the 80s and the sun shining bright, it is safe to say that we are all looking forward to the unofficial kickoff of the summer this weekend. Though there will be burgers, beers and beans served in many backyards, we all must stop and remember why we have Monday off for a holiday called Memorial Day.

So many in our nation’s great history have paid the ultimate price in defense of freedom and liberty. They have fought wars in distant lands to liberate people they had never met and who lived under a different flag than the blessed stars-and-stripes. These brave men and women answered the call to serve in the American military.

I encourage you to take just one hour on Monday to attend either a Memorial Day parade or special service. If you are a parent or grandparents, remind your children and grandchildren of the courageous soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who gave their lives to protect everything we hold dear and sacred in the United States.

Join me in saluting the men and women who died in the service of their country. We will never be able to repay the debt we owe to them, but on this weekend at least, we can pause and remember their sacrifice.

For America,