250 years ago today, our Founders declared America’s independence knowing the law they were defying was treason. Fifty-six men signed their names anyway — pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to a bold idea: that people could govern themselves.
Against all odds, they were right.Â
Two and a half centuries later, that experiment has become the freest, strongest, and most prosperous nation in history. But the promise of that first Fourth of July never kept itself. Every generation has answered the call to protect it — from the battlefields of distant wars to the farms, factories, classrooms, and communities that keep our country strong here at home.
I spent over 20 years serving our nation because I believe America is worth defending. When Iowans sent me to Congress, I took that same oath again — to support and defend the Constitution and preserve the freedoms entrusted to every generation.Â
As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday with fireworks, parades, backyard barbecues, and time with family and friends, let’s also remember what today asks of us: to leave our country stronger than we found it, just as those who came before did for us.
That responsibility doesn’t belong to Washington alone. It belongs to every American who serves something greater than themselves — the men and women in uniform defending our freedoms, the parents teaching their kids what this day means, the small business owners opening their doors, the farmers bringing in another harvest, and the hardworking Iowans whose dedication continues to move our country forward.Â
America’s story has always been written by ordinary people doing extraordinary things for their families, their communities, and their country. I have every confidence the next 250 years will be no different.
Happy Independence Day, and happy 250th birthday to the United States of America. May God continue to bless Iowa, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.