It does not matter whether someone is Republican or Democrat, “we are Americans,” as President Joe Biden put it.
In Congress, there are 90 lawmakers who have served in the military, according to Axios.
Nine Republicans and seven Democrats in the Senate have served in the military, while 53 Republicans and 21 Democrats in the House of Representatives are veterans.
'Its more than just putting flags in the ground': What placing flags at Arlington National Cemetery mean for one soldier. pic.twitter.com/Vpek1TuKdq
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 28, 2021
Lawmakers paid tribute to the fallen service members on Memorial Day.
“This Memorial Day we remember the brave men and women in uniform who have laid down their lives in defense of our nation,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) tweeted on Monday. “Let us carry their memory close today and honor their sacrifice always.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) wrote on Twitter, “Today we honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country [and] offer our deepest gratitude to our Gold Star Families. Thank you to all of those who have served, and continue to serve, our great nation.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also wrote in a statement, in part:
“On Memorial Day, grateful Americans pay tribute to the fallen heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion to safeguard our cherished freedom and ensure the survival of our sacred democracy. For generations, courageous patriots have put their lives on the line to defend our nation, from the hills of the American countryside to the fields of Western Europe to the shores of the Pacific to the sands of the Middle East. Today, and every day, we are thankful for their service and draw strength from their sacrifice.”
Check out the tweets below:
This Memorial Day we remember the brave men and women in uniform who have laid down their lives in defense of our nation. Let us carry their memory close today and honor their sacrifice always. pic.twitter.com/CVIrVtbUjw
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) May 31, 2021
We remember the members of our Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 31, 2021
We honor them. We salute them. They are our heroes. Their families are our heroes.#MemorialDay
On #MemorialDay, Sen. Rubio solemnly remembers all military members who made the ultimate sacrifice for the defense of our nation and expresses his immense gratitude for their service. May God bless the brave men and women who answered our nation’s call to serve. pic.twitter.com/Gpuy45Nc9P
— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) May 31, 2021
The cause of freedom comes at a dear cost. On #MemorialDay, we honor the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our country—protecting the freedoms we hold most dear and securing those very freedoms for others 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0dTlOtHYAL
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) May 31, 2021
https://twitter.com/amyklobuchar/status/1399348517815177219
On #MemorialDay we honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Always remember the cost of war and cherish their lives.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 31, 2021
This Memorial Day, Heidi and I honor and remember the soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 31, 2021
Thank you to all of America’s heroes and their families for your service.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Memorial Day Message Of Senator Patrick Leahy https://t.co/Xfgpv9zyYC
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) May 31, 2021
Today we honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country & offer our deepest gratitude to our Gold Star Families. Thank you to all of those who have served, and continue to serve, our great nation. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/tC9gjIGAxk
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) May 31, 2021
Today, take the time to reflect on all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our great country and pray for the men and women in uniform who are even today risking their lives to defend our freedoms. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/Rakv8O1xeP
— Sen. Grassley Press (@GrassleyPress) May 31, 2021
The freedom we have as Americans is not guaranteed, it must be secured from one generation to the next.
— Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) May 31, 2021
Memorial Day is a day we recognize and honor our service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives to secure our freedom. pic.twitter.com/90aZOvZWwA
Memorial Day is a reminder that we drink deeply from wells of freedom that we did not dig. Today we honor those Americans who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. While we may never be able to repay these heroes, we must pay it forward through our own service.
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) May 31, 2021
On this Memorial Day, please join me in remembering all those brave and selfless people who we have lost in service to our country and honoring their lives with a righteous commitment to a safer and more just world.
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 31, 2021
Today, join me on #MemorialDay to honor our fellow Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom. May God bless them and their loved ones. We are eternally grateful and forever indebted! (photos from 75th Anniversary of D-Day at Normandy) pic.twitter.com/GDpmqMgykM
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 31, 2021
Today is a day to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) May 31, 2021
We should all stop for a minute and give thanks for what we have. pic.twitter.com/P08zvcPrp3
The freedom we enjoy today was paid for by men and women who died willing to defend it. We owe them—and their families—a debt of gratitude. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/FpqVf8aT9J
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 31, 2021
We must never forget the true cost of freedom.
— Rep. Liz Cheney (@RepLizCheney) May 31, 2021
Today we remember and honor our fallen heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion for our country & our freedom. pic.twitter.com/8iCzWkBX5d
Biden delivered remarks on Sunday at an annual Memorial Day service.
“Those names on that wall and every other wall and tombstone in America of veterans is the reason we are able to stand here. We can’t kid ourselves about that,” Biden said.
He added, “So, I hope that the nation comes together. We are not Democrats or Republicans today; we are Americans. It’s time to remind everyone who we are.”
Check out his speech below:
Biden will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday and will deliver the Memorial Day address.