Q: Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?
A: On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress issued a Declaration of Independence to King George III in order to rid the American colonies of tyranny and forge a new nation in which each citizen's natural rights are protected based on the self-evident truth that "all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Of this momentous event, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." Despite Adams' optimism, creating a nation founded in liberty was by no means a sure bet. Yet, our patriot forefathers were willing to lay down their lives for that cause. I'm thankful every day to live in such a country, and for the brave men and women who continue to put their lives on the line to preserve our freedom. The Fourth of July is a great time to show our respect and gratitude to all the men and women serving in our armed forces who work tirelessly and selflessly to protect America's freedom and keep us safe from all manner of threats to our great Republic. On the Fourth, we'll enjoy the smell of the barbeque as it grills that wonderful Iowa beef and pork and marvel at the visual spectacle as the community gathers around fireworks while the tune of Francis Scott Key's Star Spangled Banner plays in the background. I also hope we take a moment during our celebrations to say thanks for all those who make our freedoms possible. Our military continues to sacrifice this very minute to keep the United States of America the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Q: How does Congress celebrate the Fourth of July?
A: Every year a public concert is held on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol and is nationally-televised on local PBS stations. Patriotic music sung by famous artists can be heard by attendees throughout Capitol Hill, and is followed by a great fireworks display over the Washington Monument. I'll take the opportunity of the Fourth of July congressional recess to continue my tour of all 99 counties. I've held constituent meetings in every county every year that I've served in the United States Senate. I do it to try to lessen the cynicism about politicians only coming around during election time. That's not how representative government should work. I'm a senator because of a vote by the people of Iowa, and I'm elected to serve you. To be a true representative of Iowa in the United States Senate, I need to be in touch with Iowans. Face-to-face meetings provide Iowans with an opportunity to give me their views and get their questions answered. I encourage everyone to play a role in the process of representative government and come to a town hall meeting. The schedule of my June-July meetings is available at http://grassley.senate.gov, in the Events section.