Memorial Day 2025

[Music] Hey everybody, it's Robert F. Kennedy Jr., your HHS secretary. Today is Memorial Day, a day that reminds us to reflect on the men and women who gave their lives to protect our country and our freedoms. I'm standing now at the DC War Memorial just off the National Mall. Etched into the base are the names of 499 sons and daughters of the District of Columbia who gave their lives during the First World War. Their names memorialize their courage, their sacrifice, and their example of a commitment to something greater than themselves. My father and two of his brothers served during World War II. My uncle Joe never came home. He volunteered for his secret and hazardous mission on August 12th, 1944, and he died over the English Channel when his experimental bomber exploded in midair. A quarter a century later, his father, my grandfather, one of the toughest men that I ever knew, would weep at every mention of his name. Memorial Day belongs to the fallen. It belongs to all of those American warriors who never made it home and to the families who bear every day the pain of their absence. We also reflect on the soldiers who returned with scars both seen and unseen. But today, let's do more than just reflect. Let's take action. Let's fight for the veterans and for the families who still bear the heavy cost of war. And let's ensure that they get the care that they deserve, starting with good health care that addresses their physical and mental needs. It's not enough to thank them. We have to serve them the way that they served us. Freedom comes at a hideous cost. Memorial Day is the day that the American people have set aside to acknowledge those who paid the price for our freedom and to commit to ensuring that our veterans live healthy, dignified lives after their service. And most importantly to the Gold Star families, to those who lost a brother, a sister, a child, a parent in service to this country, our hearts are with you. We remember. We will never forget. [Music] Produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services.