May 30 (UPI) — President Joe Biden will make remarks at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday in observance of Memorial Day after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The event is part of Biden’s daylong observance of the somber holiday that remembers active military service members who died while on duty.
“To those who mourn a loved one, and to America’s Gold Star Families who have lost a loved one in conflict, my heart aches for you,” Biden said on Friday in a statement while issuing a Memorial Day proclamation.
“Our nation owes you and those you have lost a tremendous debt that we can never fully repay.
“On Memorial Day, we vow to honor their memories and support the families, caregivers, and survivors they left behind. As we honor the memories of our fallen heroes, we are grateful for the future they made possible for us and rededicate ourselves to seeking enduring peace.”
Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted a closed-door breakfast in honor of Memorial Day in the East Room of the White House Monday morning.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were scheduled to be joined by the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at noon EDT.
The president will then deliver remarks during the 154th National Memorial Day Observance at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.
Surviving families of service members will join the Bidens in a tree-planting ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House later Monday. Officials said a magnolia tree will be planted in honor of those who have lost their lives.
