Veterans In Congress Wash Vietnam War Wall For Memorial Day

Several veterans currently serving in Congress — from both sides of the aisle — joined together to wash the Vietnam War Memorial ahead of the Memorial Day holiday honoring fallen service-members.

CBS News’ “Face the Nation” shared video of the project on Sunday, showing several members of Congress who served in different branches of the military as they hand-washed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

“Democrat, Republican, black, white, brown, none of that matters,” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said. “It just matters that we’re all Americans.”

This Memorial Day weekend, a bipartisan group of veterans who serve in Congress hand-washed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial together.

“Democrat, Republican, Black, White, Brown, none of that matters. It just matters that we’re all Americans,” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said. pic.twitter.com/TmMLGrGbd3

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) May 26, 2024

Waltz and Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) also spoke with “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan about the “divide” between the 99% of Americans who have never served in the military and the 1% who have. Calling that chasm “deeply problematic as a democracy,” they told Brennan that they have been working together to find better ways to recruit more young Americans to serve.

With less than 1% of the American population serving in the military, the “divide” between the other 99% is “deeply problematic as a democracy,” says @RepPatRyanNY, who is working with another veteran in Congress, Rep. @michaelgwaltz, on ways to recruit more service members. pic.twitter.com/DPEiYsdJfm

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) May 26, 2024

Waltz suggested that especially in light of President Joe Biden’s recent unilateral moves to cancel student debt, perhaps some sort of civil or military service could be expected of those whose debts were forgiven.

“Service doesn’t just have to be in the military. People here are talking about just giving away college or just eliminating debt. Well, how about the American taxpayer gets something in exchange for that in terms of service?” he said.

“Service doesn’t just have to be in the military,” Rep. @michaelgwaltz says. “People here are talking about just giving away college or just eliminating debt. Well, how about the American taxpayer gets something in exchange for that in terms of service?” pic.twitter.com/xeX4w1PzDQ

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) May 26, 2024

Waltz and Ryan are also working together to combat the very real problem of suicide among military veterans, saying that the federal government needed to be ready to do more. “We don’t have the urgency. It needs to be a problem that every American recognizes as theirs,” Ryan said.

The U.S. government is “not doing enough” to address the number of veterans who succumb to suicide after serving, says @RepPatRyanNY, an Army veteran.

“We don’t have the urgency,” he tells @margbrennan. “It needs to be a problem that every American recognizes as theirs.” pic.twitter.com/TTvDUvHJCC

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) May 26, 2024