Preparations for the 155th Memorial Day Observance are underway at the Arlington National Cemetery ahead of the federal holiday on Monday.
The program will include President Joe Biden‘s third Memorial Day speech since taking office. Proceedings will begin at 11 a.m. EST with a full honors wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by an observance program at the Memorial Amphitheater.
A live stream of both events will be available to the public here. According to a press release from the Arlington Cemetery, only official participants will be able to attend the wreath-laying ceremony, and seating for the observance program will be available on a first-come basis.
“Every day at Arlington National Cemetery is Memorial Day,” Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of the Office of Army Cemeteries, told Newsweek over email on Friday. “Yet this particular day holds special meaning here.”
“These hallowed grounds have been the site of the nation’s official Memorial Day observance since 1868, when this day of remembrance originated as ‘Decoration Day,’” Durham-Aguilera continued. “Those who visit the cemetery over Memorial Day weekend will see American flags placed in front of every gravesite and niche column—a visual testament to extraordinary service and sacrifice.”
This year’s Memorial Day comes while Biden continues to fight with House Republicans over finalizing a deal to raise the national debt limit. The president seemed to be closing in on a deal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy late last week before lawmakers headed for recess; however, no bill has been drafted that both raises Biden’s borrowing limit while also meeting the GOP’s demands. The House is set to reconvene on June 5 unless an agreement is reached earlier.
What To Know About This Year’s Proceedings
Biden will start Memorial Day off alongside Major General Allan M. Pepin, commanding general of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, who will host Monday’s wreath-laying ceremony. Floral tributes are made daily around Arlington Cemetery, but more solemn ceremonies are often marked by the president or the president’s designee laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider to pay their formal respects.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host Monday’s observance program at the Memorial Amphitheater. According to the Arlington Cemetery, roughly 5,000 visitors are typically in attendance for Memorial Day proceedings at the amphitheater. Other major services are also hosted at the dedicated space on Easter and Veterans Day each year.
Visitors who are interested in attending this year’s Memorial Day observance can find information about parking and transportation here.
Last year’s service marked the seventh anniversary of the death of Biden’s son, Beau, a veteran and former federal prosecutor who died in 2015 after a long battle with cancer. During the proceedings, the president acknowledged that Memorial Day can be “a day where pain and pride are mixed together” for those who have lost loved ones in the armed forces.
“Days like this bring back, before your eyes, their smile and their laugh,” the president said. “And the last conversation you had, each of you know it. The hurt can be overwhelming. But for so many of you, as is with Jill and me, the hurt is wrapped around the knowledge that your loved one was part of something bigger—bigger than any of us. They chose a life of purpose.”
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