WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today issued the following statement marking Memorial Day 2022, which will be recognized on Monday, May 30.

“As we gather with our families and friends this weekend to enjoy the unofficial beginning of summer, we must not lose sight of the significance of Memorial Day. So, this weekend, I encourage all Marylanders to join me in honoring the men and women lost in battle whom Memorial Day was created to memorialize.

“From the Revolutionary War through Afghanistan, countless Marylanders have made the greatest possible sacrifice to keep our nation and democracy itself safe. It is through their sacrifice that the United States has maintained its position as a beacon of hope and freedom. For so many people across the globe, we are the last line of defense from tyranny.

“As Harry Truman once said, ‘Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude.’ We may never be able to repay our fallen for what they have done for us. However, we can and we must support their loved ones who still have open seats at the dinner table, and who will never get to experience another birthday, anniversary or holiday with their fallen loved ones.

“This Memorial Day, let us keep our fallen soldiers and their loved ones front-of-mind as we enjoy time with family and friends. Let us recommit ourselves to upholding—in ways big and small—the values and freedoms for which they gave their lives. And let us always remember that our freedoms came at a price, so we must cherish and protect them for ourselves and generations of Americans to come.

“Thank you.”

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