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Hice: Celebrating those who champion our liberty
Jody Hice
Jody Hice, a Republican from Greensboro, represents Georgia's 10th District in Congress, including eastern Newton County.

WASHINGTON - This week, We the People will gather in cities and towns across the country to celebrate life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and those patriots who throughout our history have bravely championed our American values and unalienable rights.

This Independence Day, while you’re grilling, throwing backyard parties, and enjoying time with friends and family, I encourage you to remember what we’re truly celebrating.

On the Fourth of July 242 years ago, our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, and in doing so, risked their lives in order to guarantee the freedoms that many of us take for granted today. The principles enshrined in this document – principles of limited government, individual liberty, and free enterprise – have shaped the unique and profound American experiment that is alive and well to this day.

Our shared heritage, as Americans, is something that ought to be celebrated and memorialized. Just a few weeks ago, I introduced a bill to protect some of our Nation’s most sacred sites – our battlegrounds. House Resolution 6108, the Preserving America’s Battlefields Act, would reauthorize the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program to promote the preservation of historic American battlefields from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. 

In February, I was honored to join representatives from the American Battlefield Trust and former University of Georgia football coach and Civil War author Vince Dooley as we worked in coordination to ensure the protection of nearly 180 acres of Kettle Creek Battlefield, which was a critical battle site during the American Revolution located in Wilkes County. These historic locations are living classrooms that – for generations to come – will provide opportunities to learn and explore these battlefields that comprise the backdrop to some of our Nation’s most crucial conflicts.

As we celebrate our independence, we must remember the sacrifices made by our service members throughout American history. There’s hardly a better way to experience the full weight of their service than by seeing these battlefields in-person. I’m very proud to have the opportunity to spearhead such an important piece of legislation, while helping to ensure the survival of the BLAG program for years to come.

This Fourth of July, honor the brave men and women who have come before us, those who have fought to protect our civil liberties, and the heroes who preserve our American way of life. These people, who guard and defend our ideals, are the very fabric of our Nation.

Throughout your celebrations, I wish you and your families a very happy and safe Independence Day, and may God Bless America.

Jody Hice, a Republican from Greensboro, represents Georgia’s 10th District in Congress. Online: hice.house.gov.