President Joe Biden, observing his first Memorial Day as commander-in-chief, delivered remarks Monday at Arlington National Cemetery, painting democracy as the 'soul of America' and one that 'worth fighting for ... worth dying for.'
Memorial Day
"Our son did not die in Iraq, but he came back -- went as an incredibly healthy young man and came back with a severe brain tumor because his [living quarters] was just downwind from those burn pits -- I don’t know if that’s the reason. But he came home. It was just a matter of how long he lived," Biden said in an address to troops.
"Today, that number is 7,036. 7,036 fallen angels who have lost their lives in these conflicts and this Memorial Day we honor the legacy and the sacrifice," Biden said. "Duty. Honor. Country. They live for it. They died for it. And we as a nation are eternally grateful." Biden also mentioned voting rights in his remarks hours after Texas Democrats staged a walkout to block passage of a bill that would have restricted voting rights. It comes as a handful of states have introduced voting bills that advocates have called too restrictive.
While leaving Arlington National Cemetery, Biden and the first lady made an unplanned stop to visit a grave at Section 12 -- a primary burial location of those killed and recovered in World War II and the Korean War. They also met with some families.
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