Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

Updated November 4, 2024

Congressional Research Service

https://crsreports.congress.gov

R44263

Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

Congressional Research Service 1

Introduction

Veterans Day is a federal holiday honoring people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is recognized annually on November 11.¹

This fact sheet is designed to assist congressional offices with work related to celebrating Veterans Day. It contains a brief history, CRS reports, selected speeches and recognitions, presidential proclamations, and statistical data. It also contains links to additional web resources from authoritative sources.

History

Veterans Day has its roots in Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919, the first Armistice Day, in recognition of the anniversary of the armistice that marked the end of the most destructive fighting during World War I.

For additional history, refer to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ “History of Veterans Day” page.

Legislation

On June 1, 1954, Congress passed Public Law 380, which designated November 11 as Veterans Day, a day to honor all American veterans.²

CRS Reports

The Congressional Research Service has prepared numerous reports that relate to American veterans. Some of these include the following:

CRS Report R42324, Who Is a “Veteran”?—Basic Eligibility for Veterans’ Benefits, by Scott D. Szymendera.

CRS In Focus IF10490, Veterans’ Employment, coordinated by Benjamin Collins.

CRS Report R42755, The Post-9/11 GI Bill: A Primer, by Cassandria Dortch.

CRS In Focus IF10555, Introduction to Veterans Health Care, by Sidath Viranga Panangala and Jared S. Sussman.

CRS In Focus IF10167, Veterans and Homelessness, by Libby Perl.

CRS In Focus IF11886, Veteran Suicide Prevention, by Michele L. Malloy and Jared S. Sussman.

CRS Report R46412, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs): Frequently Asked Questions, by Tamar B. Breslauer.

1 Veterans Day is always recognized on November 11. However, according to 5 U.S.C. §6103, when November 11 falls on a Saturday, Friday, November 10 is observed as the holiday for most of the federal government. When November 11 falls on a Sunday, the federal government holiday is observed on Monday, November 12.

2 An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”

Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

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CRS Report R46428, Veterans Accredited Representatives: Frequently Asked Questions, by Tamar B. Breslauer.

CRS Report R44837, Benefits for Service-Disabled Veterans, coordinated by Scott D. Szymendera.

CRS Report R48056, Department of Veterans Affairs FY2024 Appropriations, by Sidath Viranga Panangala and Jared S. Sussman.

Selected Speeches and Recognitions

Elected officials often deliver speeches, make floor statements, issue press releases, or enter Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays and observances. The following are some recent examples:

Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, “Veterans Day,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 185 (November 8, 2023), p. S5423.

Representative Aaron Bean, “Celebrating Veterans Day,” remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 184 (November 7, 2023), p. H5473.

Representative John Joyce, “Recognizing Our Servicemembers On Veterans Day,” remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 183 (November 6, 2023), p. H5407.

Senator Tommy Tuberville, “Veterans Day,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 175 (November 14, 2022), p. S6659.

Representative Glenn Thompson, “Veterans Day,” remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 198 (November 15, 2021), p. H6259.

Representative David G. Valadao, “Honoring Our Brave Veterans,” remarks in the House of Representatives, Congressional Record, vol.167, no. 192 (November 2, 2021), p. H6083.

Representative Peter Meijer, “Celebrating Veterans,” Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 192 (November 2, 2021), pp. E1185-E1186.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, “Tribute to Veterans of the Armed Services of the United States,” Extensions of Remarks, Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 193 (November 12, 2020), p. E1017.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, “Veterans Day,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 192 (November 10, 2020), p. S6629.

Senator Mitch McConnell, “Veterans Day,” remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 178 (November 7, 2019), p. S6454.

Presidential Proclamations and Remarks

One of the many uses of a presidential proclamation is to ceremoniously honor a group or call attention to certain issues or events. Some recent Veterans Day proclamations and remarks, from the Compilation of Presidential Documents, include

Presidential Proclamations—Joseph R. Biden (2021-present)

Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)

Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

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Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2009-2017)

Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2001-2009)

Presidential Proclamations—William J. Clinton (1993-2001)

Presidential proclamations and remarks from 1993 to the present are available through the GovInfo service on the U.S. Government Publishing Office website. Earlier remarks (including some audio and video clips) are available through The American Presidency Project, established by the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Statistics

Several federal agencies maintain statistics on American veterans. Some useful sources of data and information on veterans include the following:

Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics.

U.S. Census Bureau, gateway resource page on Veterans.

U.S. Census Bureau, other Veterans resources for data and information:

U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Veterans Day 2024: Nov. 11;

U.S. Census Bureau, Infographic—World War II: 70 Years On;

U.S. Census Bureau, Report—Those Who Served: America’s Veterans From World War II to the War on Terror; and

U.S. Census Bureau, Report—Aging Veterans: America’s Veterans in Later Life.

Historical Resources

Library of Congress, Veterans History Project

National Archives, Veterans’ Service Records

Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration

Resources on Veterans Day Events

Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day-November 11

U.S. Army Center of Military History, Remembering Their Selfless Service to Our Country: Veterans Day

Veterans Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet

Congressional Research Service R44263 · VERSION 14 · UPDATED 4

National Park Service, celebration of Veterans Day and an index to Park Service memorials and sites that commemorate and honor the American military

Author Information

Maya V. Thomas Reference and Digital Services Librarian

Acknowledgments

Gary Sidor and Valerie Cervantes contributed to earlier versions of this report.

Disclaimer

This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.