WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Eliot L. Engel, the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on the 70th anniversary of D-Day:

“Seventy years ago, the United States and our allies mounted a military operation unprecedented in history. As Allied troops came ashore to the shelling and smoke on Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, as they scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc despite falling rocks and flying bullets, they took the first pained steps in liberating a continent from tyranny and securing the future of democracy and justice.

“Today, we remember all the heroes of D-Day: the men who marched forward to secure victory, and those who fell on that day to secure the Allies' first foothold in Europe—including more than 9,000 Americans whose final resting place overlooks the beaches of Normandy. We honor their service and sacrifice and that of all our men and women in uniform who have followed in their footsteps. And we reaffirm our commitment to uphold their legacy, and preserve what the Allies fought and died to defend.

“That's why the United States must remain firmly engaged abroad. Though we face a different sort of challenges in the 21st century, around the world we continue to find threats to human rights, to democracy and freedom, to global stability, and to our own security. America must remain ready to meet those challenges and ensure that the victories of the 20th century were not won in vain.”

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