PRESS RELEASE: Congressman Michael Guest Introduces Resolution Honoring Memorial Day

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Michael Guest (R-Miss) introduced a resolution in honor of Memorial Day. The resolution expresses that the House of Representatives “calls on the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day as a special day of remembrance to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.”

“We can never repay the debt we owe the men and women who gave their lives for our great nation, but we can remain committed to the values they fought and died for – values such as hard-work, determination, and truth. We must always remember that we are blessed to be citizens of this great republic, to live in a nation that was divinely inspired, and to call this land our home.”

Memorial Day has origin roots in Mississippi and other places across the United States. In 1866, four women took flowers to Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, Mississippi. They decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers who had fallen in the Battle of Shiloh. This small act grew into an entire day dedicated to memorializing those who have died in the fight for freedom from the American War for Independence to the modern-day War on Terrorism.

On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic, led by Major General John A. Logan, issued General Orders No. 11 or the "Memorial Day Act." This Act formally established Memorial Day and called on the nation to place flowers on the graves of those who had given the ultimate sacrifice. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day has been a part of the American tradition since the end of the Civil War.

Congressman Guest expresses his gratitude for all the men and women who have given their lives that our nation might endure. He points to President Ronald Reagan’s words: “Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest [in cemeteries across our nation].”

The bipartisan resolution was cosponsored by over 40 Members of Congress at the time of introduction:

Barrett (MI-07), Babin (TX-36), Bilirakis (FL-09), Bice (OK-05), Bost (IL-12), Calvert (CA-41), Carter (GA-01), Carter (LA-02), Carter (TX-31), Ciscomani (AZ-06), Davis (NC-01), Dingell (MI-12), Donalds (FL-19), Escobar (TX-16), Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Garbarino (NY-02), Gottheimer (NJ-05), Harrigan (NC-10), Hunt (TX-38), Jackson (TX-13), Joyce (OH-14), Kim (CA-40), Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), LaLota (NY-01), Lawler (NY-17), Lee (NV-03), Mann (KS-01), Mast (FL-21), McCaul (TX-10), McGuire (VA-05), Messmer (IN-08), Mills (FL-07), Moolenaar (MI-02), Moore (AL-01), Moore (NC-14), Moylan (GU-AL), Pfluger (TX-11), Riley (NY-19), Rulli (OH-06), Scott (GA-08), Sessions (TX-17), Simpson (ID-02), Sorensen (IL-17), Strickland (WA-10), Thompson (PA-15), Turner (OH-10), Wagner (MO-02), Walberg (MI-05)

Congressman Michael Guest represents Mississippi's Third Congressional District. Currently serving his fourth term, Congressman Guest is the Chairman of the Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee of the Committee on Homeland Security and is also a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

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