WASHINGTON, DC - House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following Memorial Day message, recorded on the East Front of the United States Capitol:
“No one who enjoys the benefits of freedom can forget the sacrifices made to preserve them. Nor should we forget that it isn’t a matter of where our liberty comes from, but who.
“Since last Memorial Day, at least 230 Americans have entered the ranks of the fallen. Among them: Nicholas Olivas of Fairfield, Ohio, a small town in my district. Stationed out of Fort Bragg, Nicholas was in Afghanistan with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.
“He was the youngest of four, and deep down, his father said, Nicholas ‘viewed himself as a protector.’ Nicholas was 20. His wife’s name is Faith. His son’s name is Connor.
“These are our protectors, as true to us as the stars. How different our lives would be if not for them. When you think about it, every day is Memorial Day.
“So I hope you’ll take a moment and join me in paying respects to those who fell in the cause of the free. Reflect on their supreme sacrifice, lift up their loved ones in your prayers, and remember this great truth: blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”