SANTA FE, NM – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall will join veterans, service members, and their families at the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Santa Fe National Cemetery. At the ceremony, Udall will deliver remarks honoring the brave women and men from New Mexico and across the nation who sacrificed their lives to defend our values and protect our freedoms. Udall issued the following statement commemorating our fallen service members on Memorial Day:

“Today, we honor the service and sacrifices of the women and men in New Mexico and across the nation who gave their lives to defend our country and our way of life. As we commemorate their bravery, we remember that they put their lives at risk for the values that unite us all -- freedom, democracy, equality, and justice for all. We owe them a deep debt of gratitude, along with an abiding commitment to building a more free, more just, and more equal nation and world.

“To truly honor these fallen heroes who died defending our most deeply held values, we must show all of our service members the same devotion and dedication they have shown to us. This Memorial Day, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that all veterans have the resources they have earned to return to civilian life safely and securely – from quality health care and stable housing to educational training and promising job opportunities.

“President Kennedy once said that a nation reveals itself not only by the people it produces, but by the people it remembers. Today, as we remember and honor the very best of New Mexico and America, we pledge to work even harder in our own communities to affirm the values and ideals they fought for – the principles of equality; tolerance and respect for all; caring for the most vulnerable among us; and welcoming all those fleeing oppression in search of a better life.”