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Two hundred and fifty years ago, in a sweltering hall in Philadelphia, a group of farmers, lawyers, printers, and merchants did something the world had never seen. They signed their names to a document that declared a simple but revolutionary truth: that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
They knew what that signature could cost them. Many pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, and many paid dearly for it. But they believed an idea was worth the risk. That idea became America.
For two and a half centuries, generations of Americans have answered the call to defend those ideals. I am one of them. As a 24-year Army veteran, married to a 30-year Army veteran, I have seen up close that our freedoms have never been guaranteed. They have been earned and preserved by the courage of the men and women who wear our nation's uniform, by the quiet sacrifices of the military families who hold the home front together, and by the everyday citizens who believe America is always worth fighting for.
I think about that every day I am in Iowa.
Because here in the Heartland, that same founding spirit is alive in the way we live. Our farmers rise before dawn to feed not just their neighbors but the world. Our manufacturers build the things that keep this country strong. Our small business owners pour their savings and their souls into Main Streets that hold our communities together. And our families still teach the values of hard work, faith, and responsibility around the kitchen table, just as their parents and grandparents did before them. These are the principles that have made Iowa, and America, exceptional.
The freedoms we can sometimes take for granted are extraordinary when you stop to consider them. The freedom to worship as we choose. To speak our minds. To gather peacefully. To keep and bear arms. To cast a vote that counts. To chase a dream as far as our determination will carry us. These freedoms have made the United States a beacon of hope and opportunity for people the world over, including those who risk everything just for the chance to share in them.
Every Fourth of July, I am reminded how blessed we are to call this country home. No nation in human history has done more to advance freedom, defend the dignity of the individual, and give ordinary people the opportunity to build extraordinary lives. That is not a slogan. It is the story of 250 years, written by people who believed they could leave their children something better than they inherited.
As we mark this milestone, may we never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy, the sacrifices made to preserve them, or the profound privilege of passing this nation on to the next generation, still strong, still free.
So, this Independence Day, let us fly the Stars and Stripes proudly. Let us gather with family and friends beneath the fireworks. And let us remember those who gave the last full measure of devotion so that we could stand here, free, 250 years later. May we honor their legacy not only in celebration, but by rededicating ourselves to the values that have guided this nation since 1776.
God bless Iowa, and God bless the United States of America.
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