Tsongas Statement on Memorial Day

Statement

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas released the following statement to mark Memorial Day.

"Memorial Day is a time for Americans to come together to thank our dedicated soldiers scattered across the globe, the wounded warriors whose lives have been forever changed by their experience of war, and those who did not return.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to all the men and women of our armed services, their families and their loved ones. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as a Member of Congress, and in particular in my role on the Armed Services Committee and have dedicated my service to supporting and protecting those who serve on our behalf.

"I have made it a priority since taking office to provide our servicemembers and their families with resources and policies that enhance safety, success and quality of life. Most recently, the House-passed version of the annual defense bill included numerous provisions I authored with that mission in mind.

"The bill makes sure the Pentagon is providing women servicemembers with the most state of the art equipment and medical care possible. For example, it requires the Army to create a policy regarding workplace breastfeeding for servicewomen, something I heard was a problem firsthand from Army Moms. The bill also takes important steps to combat sexual assault in the military, extending critical services and training while supporting survivors and encouraging more to come forward. The bill encourages technological innovation so that our servicemembers are utilizing cutting-edge equipment that enables them to remain the foremost fighting force in the world.

"These are just a few examples that reflect the greater philosophy behind my work on the Armed Services Committee: military members and their families sacrifice so much in service to this country, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to protect and serve them.

"Thank you to the men and women of the United States military -- past, present and future. We are the beneficiaries of your courage, your sacrifice and your vigilance."

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