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Our nation’s servicemen and women and our veterans have truly made the United States the greatest nation in the world, and I am grateful every day for their dedicated service. The sacrifices of their families often go unrecognized as well, and I sincerely appreciate the irreplaceable contributions they’ve made in support of their loved ones in the Armed Forces. At the same time, we must not forget the many brave Americans who have lost their lives in service to this country. That debt can never be repaid.

Our country certainly faces difficult challenges in the coming days, from the unsustainable state of our federal deficit to the sluggish and unstable job market. I will continue to work hard to rein in our government’s debt and facilitate an environment where businesses can innovate, expand, and hire people.

Our shipbuilders are the finest in the world, and they deliver the finest ships in the world to our Navy - which is also second to none. As sequestration approaches, we cannot forget how critical it is for the future security of our nation that we assess our military budgets strategically and with consideration for what our capabilities need to be.

Small businesses are truly the bedrock of our economy, and I know that they will lead the way to recovery if Washington just gives them the chance.

I believe a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy policy is critical to expand energy independence for our nation. This is a matter of both national security and economics; we simply cannot continue to rely on foreign sources of energy to keep our nation running.

One of the phrases in the Constitution’s Preamble that has always resonated with me is, “We the People … secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” I see or hear those words and I immediately think about our future generations, especially that of my young grandchildren, Morgan and Mark, and I consider what is being done in Congress today and whether Morgan and Mark and others in their generation will be able to enjoy the same “Blessings of Liberty” that we have experienced.