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2010.05.29Thisweekend,aswecelebrateMemorialDay,familiesacrossAmericawillgatherinbackyardsandfrontporches,fireupthebarbeque,kickbackwithfriends,andspendtimewithpeopletheycareabout.Thatisasitshouldbe.ButIalsohopethatasyoudoso,you’lltakesometimetoreflectonwhatMemorialDayisallabout;onwhywesetthisdayasideasatimeofnationalremembrance.It’sfittingeverydaytopaytributetothemenandwomenwhoweartheuniformoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Still,therearecertaindaysthathavebeensetasideforallofustodoso.VeteransDayisonesuchday–whenwearecalledtohonorAmericanswho’vefoughtunderourcountry’sflag.OurcallingonMemorialDayisdifferent.Onthisday,wehonornotjustthosewho’vewornthiscountry’suniform,butthemenandwomenwho’vediedinitsservice;who’velaiddowntheirlivesindefenseoftheirfellowcitizens;who’vegiventheirlastfullmeasureofdevotiontoprotecttheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ThesearethemenandwomenIwillbehonoringthisweekend,andIknowmanyofyouaredoingthesame.ThereareanynumberofreasonsAmericaemergedfromitshumblebeginningsasaclusterofcoloniestobecomethemostprosperous,mostpowerfulnationonearth.Thereisthehardwork,theresilience,andthecharacterofourpeople.Thereistheingenuityandenterprisingspiritofourentrepreneursandinnovators.Therearetheidealsofopportunity,equality,andfreedomthathavenotonlyinspiredourpeopletoperfectourownunion,butinspiredotherstoperfecttheirsaswell.Butfromtheverystart,therewasalsosomethingmore.Asteadfastcommitmenttoserve,tofight,andifnecessary,todie,topreserveAmericaandadvancetheidealswecherish.It’sacommitmentwitnessedateachdefiningmomentalongthejourneyofthiscountry.It’swhatledarag-tagmilitiatofaceBritishsoldiersatLexingtonandConcord.It’swhatledyoungmen,inacountrydividedhalfslaveandhalffree,totakeuparmstosaveourunion.It’swhatledpatriotsineachgenerationtosacrificetheirownlivestosecurethelifeofournation,fromthetrenchesofWorldWarItothebattlesofWorldWarII,fromInchonandKheSanh,fromMosultoMarjah.Thatcommitment–thatwillingnesstolaydowntheirlivessowemightinherittheblessingsofthisnation–iswhatwehonortoday.ButonthisMemorialDay,asoneveryday,wearecalledtohonortheirultimatesacrificewithmorethanwords.Wearecalledtohonorthemwithdeeds.Wearecalledtohonorthembydoingourpartforthelovedonesourfallenheroeshaveleftbehindandlookingafterourmilitaryfamilies.Bymakingsurethemenandwomenservingthiscountryaroundtheworldhavethesupporttheyneedtoachievetheirmissionsandcomehomesafely.Bymakingsureveteranshavethecareandassistancetheyneed.Inshort,byservingallthosewhohaveeverworntheuniformofthiscountry–andtheirfamilies–aswellastheyhaveservedus.OnApril25,1866,aboutayearaftertheCivilWarended,agroupofwomenvisitedacemeteryinColumbus,Mississippi,toplaceflowersbythegravesofConfederatesoldierswhohadfallenatShiloh.Astheydid,theynoticedothergravesnearby,belongingtoUniondead.Butnoonehadcometovisitthosegraves,orplaceaflowerthere.Sotheydecidedtolayafewstemsforthosementoo,inrecognitionnotofafallenConfederateorafallenUnionsoldier,butafallenAmerican.Afewyearslater,anorganizationofCivilWarveteransestablishedwhatbecameMemorialDay,selectingadatethatcoincidedwiththetimewhenflowerswereinbloom.Sothisweekend,aswecommemorateMemorialDay,Iaskyoutoholdallourfallenheroesinyourhearts,andifyoucan,tolayaflowerwheretheyhavecometorest.2010.05.21Onemonthagothisweek,BP’sDeepwaterHorizondrillingrigexplodedoffLouisiana’scoast,killing11peopleandrupturinganunderwaterpipe.TheresultingoilspillhasnotonlydealtaneconomicblowtoAmericansacrosstheGulfCoast,italsorepresentsanenvironmentaldisaster.Inresponse,wearedrawingonAmerica’sbestmindsandusingtheworld’sbesttechnologytostoptheleak.We’vedeployedover1,100vessels,about24,000personnel,andmorethan2milliontotalfeetofboomtohelpcontainit.Andwe’redoingallwecantoassiststrugglingfishermen,andthesmallbusinessesandcommunitiesthatdependonthem.FolksontheGulfCoast–andacrossAmerica–arerightlydemandingswiftactiontocleanupBP’smessandendthisordeal.Butthey’realsodemandingtoknowhowthishappenedinthefirstplace,andhowwecanmakesureitneverhappensagain.That’swhatI’dliketospendafewminutestalkingwithyouabout.Firstandforemost,whatledtothisdisasterwasabreakdownofresponsibilityonthepartofBPandperhapsothers,includingTransoceanandHalliburton.Andwewillcontinuetoholdtherelevantcompaniesaccountablenotonlyforbeingforthcomingandtransparentaboutthefactssurroundingtheleak,butforshuttingitdown,repairingthedamageitdoes,andrepayingAmericanswho’vesufferedafinancialloss.ButevenaswecontinuetoholdBPaccountable,wealsoneedtoholdWashingtonaccountable.Now,thiscatastropheisunprecedentedinitsnature,anditpresentsahostofnewchallengesweareworkingtoaddress.Butthequestioniswhatlessonswecanlearnfromthisdisastertomakesureitneverhappensagain.Ifthelawsonourbooksareinadequatetopreventsuchanoilspill,orifwedidn’tenforcethoselaws–Iwanttoknowit.Iwanttoknowwhatworkedandwhatdidn’tworkinourresponsetothedisaster,andwhereoversightoftheoilandgasindustrybrokedown.Weknow,forexample,thatacozyrelationshipbetweenoilandgascompaniesandagenciesthatregulatethemhaslongbeenasourceofconcern.SecretaryoftheInteriorKenSalazarhastakenstepstoaddressthisproblem;stepsthatbu