Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome honored guests. House speaker nancy pelosi, accompanied by republican leader mitch mcconnell, republican leader kevin mccarthy, senator roy blunt, representative emanuel cleaver, the second and mr. Clifton daniel. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable nancy pelosi speaker of the United States house of representatives. As speaker of the house, is my privilege to welcome you to the united capitol as we celebrate one of our nations finest president s, president harry truman. Theres only fitting that this son, independence, missouri, takes his rightful place here in the rotunda of our temple of democracy, the United States capitol. Now, at the time at this time, please rise, as you are able for the presentation colors and for the National Anthem anthem. Oh. Oh. Oh, say, can you see im standing. Im whats up. Oh, really is this time i. Whose drives im trying. Slides on. Im sorry. Oh so god sees. And the rock. Bombs bursting. On the eyes and im like still. Oh say does the stars. Oh god no. More than of the dreams and oh oh oh. Oh. The ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation by Senate Chaplain dr. Barry black. Let pray the eternal god creator of great love lives. We praise you for this statue, dedication and that honors the laudable life of harry truman, the 33rd president of the United States, lord we are grateful for his numerous contributions that helped protect and the constitution of the United States against all enemies. We celebrate that he helped our nation navigate through World War Two. We were thankful for the truman doctrine the berlin airlift, the creation of the United Nations and the end of racial segregation in the United States armed forces that occurred during his presidency. Lord, you brought him from Humble Beginnings and used even his setbacks to provide him stepping stones to greater use in inspired by his note of all life, give us the wisdom to permit our reach to exceed our grasp for courage, creativity and commitment we pray in your sovereign. Amen. Ladies and, gentlemen, please take your seats. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable pelosi, speaker of the United States house of representatives. Now, this is what you all came for. Now it is special honor to invite word president trumans Clifton Truman daniel and his wife, polly and thomas. Daniel alex burden and dr. Kurt graham of the Truman Library institute, members of the missouri delegation, both and senate. And i might as current and past and leaders and mcconnell. And together we will unveil this spectacular statue. Lay. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Clifton Truman Daniel honorary chairman of the Truman Library institute and board secretary for the truman scholarship fund. Thank you, madam speaker. Senator blunt. Congressman cleaver. Leader mcconnell. Leader mccarthy. Family. Friends. And thank you again, senator blunt. And congressman cleaver and chairman Pat Ottensmeyer on the board of the Truman Library institute. Alex burden and the institute staff, dr. Kurt graham and the library and the generous donors friends, supporters, lawmakers who helped make this day possible. My grandfather was a modest man and frankly, slightly embarrassed statues. His president ial library is an Education Institution rather than a monument to him, but were here with us today. He would be honored and humbled. He loved the united of america. He loved the work of government. He loved this very building. He took the job seriously, but never himself. He was open, approachable, as tom corbin excellent statue depicts. He has been called an uncommon common man of all his accomplishment. The Marshall Plan naito the truman doctrine. The disfigured of the Armed Services. I think the most significant was reminding us a farmer, a citizen, a Small Business can rise to the highest office in this land and do a better job of it than almost anybody else. That is the promise of this. The promise that that same ability lives within each one of us. He did what he did for the greater, not the greater glory. He always said that it was amazing. Much you could get done if you didnt care who got the credit. His favorite epitaph in tombstone, arizona, reads. Here lies jack williams. Hed done his damnedest. He was an honest, hard working, empathetic and sensible human being. And i leave you today with my familys deep gratitude and a quote that illustrates those qualities in my grandfather do your duty and history will do you justice. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable emanuel cleaver, the second represent from the Fifth District of missouri. This statue proves that can work and quickly. This only took us 20 years. It is an honor to join you today as we gather, commemorate the return of the man, missouri, to the United States with the unveiling and congressional of president harry truman. I think that trumans of independence, missouri, is probably floating around above the ground with pride. I want to start by thanking the sculptor, tom. The Truman Library institute. Ted farnham and, my colleague, friend and neighbor. Carnahan. Without whose help this would not have been possible. Born and raised in missouri. Harry truman was a man of remarkable character and a shining example of what it means to live the American Dream from a small farm in the heartland to the pinnacle of power in United States senate. Truman demonstrated that through hard work, determination and perseverance, anyone can overcome the odds and change the world for the better. Throughout his life journey, harry truman wore many hats from farmer to captain in the u. S. Army during world war, one haberdasher to, county judge, senator, Vice President and ultimately president of the United States. With an innate sense of public captain harry truman loved. His form to serve his country in war one. He was one of many young men who answered the call to defend Freedom Abroad the great war. Upon returning home, he continued, his Public Service by launching a career in politics and after some time was elected to the United States senate. There he took important strides to cut down on government waste and raising his popularity with the public and helping make him this election as president roosevelts running mate in 1944. He wasnt looking to climb the ladder of success quickly. 82 days into his vice presidency, he got the call to step. When president roosevelt died and he was determined to meet the mercurial moment, president truman once said, progress occurs. When courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. And that he did. During his presidency, he embodied those words as he faced many challenges and difficult decisions that he navigated with principle, with his purposeful personality. I personally to praise president truman being the first president to deliver a speech at the National Association of the advancement of colored people on june 29, 1947, at their annual convention. The following year helped america take another step toward fulfilling our promise of freedom and equality for all by enacting executive order. 9984 to desegregate the federal workforce and the military. With these necessary steps, president truman helped, create a black middle class that enabled africanamericans to advance in society and participate in the prosperity of this great. From ending World War Two to forming the United Nations naito to charting a course for rights by desegregating the Armed Services and federal workforce. Every measurement upon which president s are scrutinized, truman is plausibly one of our nations greatest leaders. President truman insisted on being his most authentic self, refused to curry favor to those who chose to approach progress with a caution, and crafted an indelible of challenging the status quo and of assuming devoted leadership. I can think of no greater person to represent the state, missouri and the citadel of democracy, where he may continue inspire the countless visitors who are hosted each year here the capitol. From this day forward, may harry truman stature. As a reminder of his courage and courage. We need to have to take on the projects that will help build this nation. For my Congressional Colleagues and i, we too should accept the responsibility after truman to declare the buck stops here. Truman a long and lasting shadow cast by his leadership upon, us and every yet born president truman. I dont know how the earth will really work operates. But if you hear me and if there are antagonists even in zion, give them hell. Harry. Ladies, gentlemen, the honorable roy blunt, a United States senator from missouri missouri. Well, on april the 12th, 1945, harry truman come over to this building as clipped and mentioned he loved the capitol hed loved working in the senate. Hed come to this building and not too far from here in a room that the speaker still probably calls board of education he and sam rayburn were going over the events of the day and whatever else they might want to talk about that day. And a note was passed into the Vice President. You need to come to the white house. Something happened. Well, there were lots of things happening in april of 1945. Its hard to know what harry truman might been thinking about when he went to the house later that for history since his mother would have already found this out. He wrote his mother a letter before he went to that night. And in the letter he said the day i went to the white house thinking i was going to see the president. I got there and found out i was the president. No president. In such a short period of, time made more consequential decisions than harry truman ending the war in europe. How to deal with the soviets . How to. Look at transitioning back to a peacetime economy, what to do about ending the war in japan, the United Nations. And thats just the first six months. All the things that Clifton Truman daniel mentioned that would be on that of great accomplishments by harry truman were important. But if youve ever been in a job where you made decisions, just imagine the decisions he had to make and how quickly he had to make them and how well he made them. When secretary of state stennis had his first meeting with new president truman, he left the meeting and said to somebody right away, he seems like a man and usually willing to make decisions. And he understood the importance. Of making decisions. He did that based on incredible sense and a great sense of history. You know, because of his eyesight, mrs. Truman was the athlete and the baseball player. He was the reader. Except his mother told me one time she never saw her sit down at home when he didnt have a book. And he the history of the country, he the history of the country. The last 12 years, ive had the great opportunity use the offices. He used, the ten years he was in the senate and the 82 days he was Vice President. And i feel like ive benefited from thinking about those decisions he made and how he made them and what he did for the country. Its great for us today to him now in the building he loved in democracy, that he cherished in a world that he made so much to design, create and make what it is today. Lay. Ladies and gentlemen, the u. S. Air force band singing sergeant. Beautiful duties on. Oh, im very. Oh, oh, you force size. Im always hungry hungry for hot. Just just. Oh, oh oh. Oh, oh. Brush. On the. Car. Oh oh, oh. Drums shine. Oh oh, you oh, oh, oh, yeah. Most parts start. Oh. Oh, oh. Na. Oh. Oh, oh. Second on line everything. Oh, oh. Nice. Oh, oh country, oh. Five, oh. Oh and oh. Drums. Shine oh oh oh oh. Ladies and, gentlemen, the honorable kevin mccarthy, republican leader of the United States house of representative. Im very and delighted to welcome this statue of harry truman to the rotunda. Its at a Pivotal Moment in our nations future. Lets face it, todays world is dangerous. Communist is growing more aggressive. Putins russia is mobilizing and escalating. And an iran regime that murders its own people is inching closer. A nuclear weapon. These dangers echo the chaos, the complexity and the scope of the early cold war as we confront these challenges, we have the lessons of harry truman to guide us. Lesson number. Leadership matters. Truman shaped Foreign Policy by taking principled actions upon the circumstances he faced in march 1947. He laid out the truman doctrine, pledging america would support free peoples against communism. In 1948, he approved the historic berlin airlift, which brought the people of berlin food medicine and even candy for more than a year. This forced the soviets to lift the blockade. Truman americans accepted wisdom and he understood a successful u. S. Foreign begins with the idea that we should stand by our principle of freedom. Harry trumans lesson number two friends and allies matter. In one of his boldest actions as president , president truman ordered the United States to recognize the state of israel 11 minutes after they were created and remained a steadfast ally to because he knew that the source of our friendship with israel ran deep. He said in 1952, israel has a glorious future before it. Not just as another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment the great ideals of civilization. This statue reaffirms our unbreakable commitment. Israel and other allies, which are based upon shared values and interests. Harry trumans lesson number three, live to our values. Truman knew that the fight for freedom was not restricted to distant lands. One of his shining moments as president was his commitment to challenging civil rights, including in our military. So it was earlier stated on january 26, 1948, president truman executive order 9981, which made segregation in our military illegal. Truman understood importance of living up to our fan founding values that are all created equal. And that is especially when americans are fighting together in foxholes. Lesson number four by harry truman is on his statue. The buck stops here. I hope as the policymakers walk through and they admire this statue, they read all the way down to the. That was a sign that truman famously kept on his desk. It was his motto, his code, his philosophy of leadership in his farewell address, truman said the president , whoever he is, has to decide. He cant the buck to anybody, no one else can do the deciding for him. Thats his job. Thats sound advice. Not just to a president , but i think to a nation. Everyone should to it, especially policymakers. Dont blame others for your failings. Own them, learn from them, and fix. Whatever dangers today it is important that we learn from history as we welcome this statue to the rotunda, trumans actions offer lessons for today, tomorrow and of all time. Lets remember, lets work to build a nation that is safe a future that is built on freedom and a government that is accountable. Thank you and god bless. Ladies, gentlemen, the honorable mitch, republican leader of the United States senate. When harry truman was sworn in as our 33rd president , hed only hold job of Vice President for 82 days. Overnight, mr. Brand new number two became our wartime in chief. He hadnt even been included in crucial briefings. But now he had see the fight for victory through to the finish. One of the many times harry truman displayed good judgment was when he tapped a kentuckian, alvin barkley, to be his running mate in 1948. Senator barkley was a dependable, principled statesman who was known his earnestness and dogged his fellows. Democrats had elected him leader six times. But now, in this role, he got a close up look at how fdr is compare little known fourth Vice President was acquitting himself in the top job. He later write in his memoirs that truman was, quote a professional in the best sense of the word that the president , quote, never allowed to become so personally that a person could not talk to him as a fellow human being. Were all familiar with a long list of Historic Events for which truman helped lead our and youve heard them, but im almost as impressed with the plainspoken humble midwestern that hes reported. It maintained completely, even as he was making all of that history. The man who became leader of the free world overnight, who unleashed literally awesome military power to force murdering tyrants, to sue for peace, and a key early architect of the new International System that would help keep the peace. That person, by all accounts, remained a citizen and a neighbor first. And from now on, thanks to another shot of kansas city, tom corbin, millions of americans will be able to come face to face with our third president as a human being right here at the epicenter of the republic that he ably served. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable nancy pelosi, speaker of the United States house of representatives. Thank you to our speakers for your beautiful. I associate myself with all of them. Im not completely sure about mr. Cleaver, but most of them i just didnt hear the last sentence. So i want to be precise. Isnt it wonderful, all of us, to be here in the rotunda under the dome celebrating this great president of the United States . Because and this is to us as senator blunt referenced, a president was us as. We know a member of the United States senate, but we feel very close to him in the house of representatives as the story was told. Senator blunt. Theres something called the board of education rooms. At the end the day, thats sam rayburn and some of his colleagues said, you know, story very well would to a room and so they didnt say were going to go play cards and have refreshments. They said were going to. The board of education. And that was the room in the capitol which is a very beautiful place. While president the Vice President and was in the he received a call from the white house from Eleanor Roosevelt and. That was the call. That made all the difference in world. He was called to the white house and he would, as a senator, said others not to see the president , but to become the president of the United States. So we feel very close. We still call it the board of education. We dont play cards there, have refreshments anymore. But it is a place of history for us. Again, when an honored is to be with the truman family who keep alive the noble spirit of our nations 33rd president , it thank you and thank you, thomas polley. And a special to congressman Russ Carnahan and senator jean who worked from day one to help make this occasion. And as mr. Cleaver said, so many people for a long time. Today we gather to celebrate harry truman and the greatest gift he gave to nation, his unhealed dying commitment to democracy. It was this fervent belief drove him to don our nations uniform to fight in during the First World War to defend peoples interest for a decade here and for these hallowed halls and to champion freedom and justice here at home and across the world. He brought his midwest values to the congress and the white house son of a farmer and himself, Small Business owner truman, knew firsthand the promise of the American Dream and the power of democracy to support those. Thats why in his 1949 state of the union address, he pledged that every has a right to expect from our government a fair deal. And he made this declaration, his mission, putting forth a shining inclusive vision of prosperity and for every family. Indeed, president trumans moral on civil rights, including historic order, as others have mentioned, including the chaplain, to desegregate armed forces and the federal workforce for its important progress in the fight for equal justice. The law. President also deserves great credit for his visionary, Visionary Leadership on, health care, his impassioned advocacy place. The goal of universal health care to the forefront of our national agenda. That is why when president johnson, the medicare bill passed, he traveled to independ to end president presence signed the medicare law and to sign president truman as the medicare beneficiaries. Then seconds later, he signed with the president a fitting to the leader who honored this truth. Health care is a right not a privilege. I want to speak personally for a moment because its an honor for me to join in unveiling this statue because, i had the privilege of meeting president truman many years ago. Came to baltimore to support his friend. My father, who served the congress when president truman was Vice President. President. He came to campaign for my father. We had this wonderful conversation. And i was intimidated to meet the. Of the United States. But he was very inviting and charming and clipped. Thomas, who talked about your mother, margaret. He said, im telling you what i told margaret. Educate in education. Its important you get too much education. Always a focus. Education. In that conversation, i didnt know whether we were going to talk about. I didnt know what we were going to talk. I was just in awe of him. But was his focus in that . He knew the best investment we could make as a nation was in our childrens education because that is how we ensure all can participate and, thrive in our democracy. And this promise is further today by the trumans scholarship initiative, which supports students interested in service. President trumans equipment to democracy did not cease at the waters. He knew that a threat to democracy anywhere was a threat. Democracy everywhere. Thats why he worked to rebuild europe into a bulwark against totalitarianism. Thats why he extended americas helping hand, including with the berlin. Thats why forged strong alliances with friends and freedoms across the globe, especially with the formation of nato. Ss and referenced this alliance has not only endured but is stronger today than ever. We continue to look to his other ship for guidance as we defend democracy against, autocracy, especially in ukraine. Upon signing the north atlantic treaty, president offered an inspiring vision. We believe that his possible for nations to achieve unity on the great principles of human freedom and justice, he said. Made this magnificent statue and just look like him. With your two young. But he had reputation for walking going for a walk in the press which followed him. So you see that the statue is truman. President truman walking made this magnificent statue which will stand here at the heart of the capitol, serve as a constant symbol of our commitment to democracy. Thank you, tom corbin, for this beautiful statue which fits among many of our heroes comforter here in the rotunda of the capitol under the great dome. Thank you all for being with us today. To celebrate gods to america. The of president harry as truman. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand, for the benediction delivered by chaplain g. Kevin. Would you pray me . Eternal god, as we conclude the ceremony . Cause us each pause and give thought as to how called a young man from lamar to find himself in the most powerful chair in our nations government. For such a as then that critical time in our countrys history. You allowed him to be thrust into leadership with little warning or preparation with only the gifts and skills which you graced him. Let the stories and testimony is shared today of president Harry Trumans plainspoken manner, his reputation for honesty his commitment to integrity. Ever resound in this hallowed where he now stands. And we that just as his figure has been carved in grave on our hearts the consequential significance that president truman was but a common man who had just his damnedest. Then may we never look upon this statue without hearing your claim on each of us . Whoever we are from wherever. We come to live and to serve where we are called. When are called with the same purpose. To live into calling. Blessed than all those who today find themselves seated in the most powerful positions in our nations government. May they serve the same tenacity, honesty and of duty and responsibility with which president truman led this country in defending and upholding our democracy and the faithfulness, faithfulness, your name. We offer our prayers. Amen. Ladies and gentlemen please remain in your seats for the departure of the official party