{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-commemorates-veterans-day-ceremony-freedom-maine", "Senator Collins Commemorates Veterans Day at Ceremony in Freedom, Maine", "2017-11-11", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "ME", "Susan Collins", "C001035", "www.collins.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Photo 1: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins with the Kennebec Valley Chordsmen\nPhoto 2: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins with WWII veteran and Freedom resident Roy Ward, who celebrated his 98th birthday today\nPhoto 3: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins speaking at the Freedom Veterans Day ceremony\nPhoto 4: Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Collins at the Freedom Veterans Day Ceremony\nFreedom, ME -\u00a0This morning, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited the Town of Freedom to deliver remarks at the community\u2019s Veterans Day ceremony. The event honored the more than 20 million veterans in the United States and the more than 116,000 veterans in Maine.\u00a0 The ceremony featured performances by the Kennebec Valley Chordsmen.\nFreedom was first settled in 1794 by Stephen Smith, a patriot who fought for freedom in the Revolutionary War.\u00a0 The town was incorporated during the War of 1812, the first challenge to our young nation\u2019s freedom.\u00a0 In 1863, with the Civil War raging, Freedom native Daniel Davis left school and joined the 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment so that the blessing of freedom would be extended to all Americans.\u00a0 In 1880, he became Maine\u2019s 37th Governor.\n\u00a0\nSenator Collins also issued this statement on Veterans Day:\n\u00a0\n\u201cIt was a special pleasure to have the opportunity to commemorate Veterans Day in Freedom, Maine, a town whose very name celebrates the great gift we have been given by our veterans and those who serve today.\n\u00a0\n\u201cOn this sacred day, we honor those who paid the ultimate price, whether they lie at rest in foreign lands or in their hometowns.\u00a0 We honor those who lived beyond their years of military service but who have since passed on.\u00a0 We honor those who remain missing and pledge that they never will be forgotten.\u00a0 And we honor those veterans who are with us today.\u00a0 We owe them all a great debt.\n\u00a0\n\u201cIt is estimated that some 48 million Americans have served in uniform since the founding of our nation.\u00a0 Today, more than 20 million veterans live among us, including more than 116,000 right here in Maine.\u00a0 To put that in perspective, Maine has more veterans per capita than all but two of the other states in the country.\u00a0 We are proud of our State\u2019s contributions to protecting our nation.\n\u00a0\n\u201cMy father, Don Collins, is a World War II veteran who was wounded twice during the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. He earned two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star.\u00a0 It was from him that I first learned to honor and respect our veterans.\n\u00a0\n\u201cWe owe our veterans so much, and repay that debt in part, but only in part, with the gratitude we express on Veterans Day.\u00a0 As a nation, we must also repay our debt with the health care, rehabilitation services, and educational and employment opportunities our veterans have earned through their service to our country.\u00a0 I am committed to ensuring that the government keeps that sacred obligation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-commemorates-veterans-day-ceremony-freedom-maine"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5105109196156263, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}