On this day 249 years ago, our founders made a bold declaration: that all people are created equal and entitled to live free.

That promise has been kept alive not by words, but by service. From the farms of Iowa to battlefields overseas, generations of Americans have stood up to defend our liberty. As a Colonel in the Air Force and your voice in Congress, I’ve sworn to uphold those principles, and I carry that duty with me every single day.
Thank you for your trust. I hope you and your family are able to celebrate today in the same spirit of courage and conviction that sparked America’s independence 249 years ago.