(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following
statement celebrating Independence Day.
“Independence
Day is a day for celebration, but also a time for reflection. As families
across Washington state gather to celebrate our country’s independence, we must
remember and honor the sacrifices that our veterans have made to preserve the
freedom that we hold so dear.
“This
is a very personal issue for me. Like many veterans of his generation, my
father did not talk about his experiences during the war. In fact, we only
really learned about them – including that he had received a Purple Heart – by
reading his journals after he passed away. That experience offers a larger
lesson about veterans in general. Many of our heroes are reluctant to call
attention to their service. That’s why we’ve got to publicly recognize their
sacrifices and contributions.
“We
also must not forget the members of our armed forces currently serving overseas
and their families. And we must uphold our promise to care for them upon their
return. We owe it to them to do everything in our power to honor that promise
and care for veterans of wars past, and those returning home today. They
deserve nothing less.
“I
wish all families across Washington state a happy Fourth of July. And I am
going to keep fighting to make sure we never stop honoring those who sacrifice
so much for our freedom.”