>> THIS DAY WE HONOR A TRUE AMERICAN HERO SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN.

HE PLACED HIMSELF DIRECTLY IN HARM's WAY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR AND HIS GREAT SACRIFICE OF PERSONAL FREEDOM IS WELL-KNOWN.

AS A SENATOR, HE SERVED WITH HONESTY AND INTEGRITY WORKING BOTH WITH THOSE WITH WHOM HE AGREED AND MANY WITH WHOM HE DID NOT.

HIS WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT TO DO SO PROVES TO BE A RARE PHENOMENON.

FOR THAT REASON IT WAS ALL THE MORE PRECIOUS.

AS WE CONTINUE THIS CELEBRATION OF HONOR, GRANT THAT ALL WHO ATTEND TO THESE PROCEEDINGS MIGHT TRANSCEND SMALLNESS AND LIMITATION AND EMERGE AS PEOPLE DESIROUS OF BEING OUR BEST SELVES IN SERVICE TO ALL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS YOU MIGHT CALL EACH OF US TO BE.

DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR INSPIRING SUCH GREATNESS IN SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN AND CONTINUE TO BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AMEN.

>> MR.

VICE PRESIDENT, MR.

SPEAKER, COLLEAGUES, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND THE MCCAIN FAMILY, IT's AN HONOR TO WELCOME YOU THIS MORNING.

WE GATHER TO RECOGNIZE A GREAT LOSS AND CELEBRATE A GREAT LIFE.

WE CELEBRATE 6 DECADES OF DEVOTION TO THE AMERICAN IDEA AND THE CAUSE OF HUMAN FREEDOM.

GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WILL CONTINUE TO MARVEL AT THE MAN WHO LIES BEFORE US.

A COCKY, HANDSOME, NAVAL AVIATOR WHO BARELY SCRAPED THROUGH SCHOOL AND THEN FOUGHT FOR FREEDOM IN THE SKIES.

WHO WITNESSED TO OUR HIGHEST VALUES EVEN THROUGH TERRIBLE TORTURE AND WHO BECAME A GENERATIONAL LEADER IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE WHERE OUR NATION AIRS IT'S GREAT DEBATES.

NOW AIRING OUR GREAT DEBATES IS A GENTLE WAY TO DESCRIBE HOW JOHN APPROACHED THE WORK OF A SENATOR.

I'VE LONG JOKED HIS GUARDS AT THE HANOI HILTON PROBABLY NEEDED GROUP THERAPY AFTER JOHN WAS FINISHED WITH HIM.

THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SOME OF HIS SENATE COLLEAGUES WERE TEMPTED TO FORM A SUPPORT GROUP OF OUR OWN.

HE TREATED EVERY ISSUE WITH THE INTENSITY THAT PEOPLE's BUSINESS DESERVED.

HE WOULD FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR HIS VISION OF THE COMMON GOOD, DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE, YOU KNEW JOHN WOULD EITHER BE OUR STANCHEST ALLY OR MOST STUBBORN OPPONENT.

AT ANY MOMENT HE MIGHT BE PREPARING AN ELOQUENT REFLECTION ON HUMAN LIBERTY OR DEVASTATING JOKE SERVED WITH HIS SIGNATURE CACKLE AND THAT JOHN MCCAIN GLINT IN HIS EYE.

HE HAD AMERICA's FIGHTING SPIRIT, OUR NOBLE IDEALISM AND OUR SOLEMN PATRIOTISM AND SLIGHTLY IRREVERENT STREAK ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.

I WILL MISS A DEAR FRIEND WHOSE SMILE REMINDED US THAT SERVICE IS A PRIVILEGE AND WHOSE SCAR OF THE GREAT COST THAT WE PAY FOR OUR FREEDOM.

JOHN FELT LIKE FAMILY.

BUT OF COURSE IT IS CINDY AND ROBERTA AND JOE AND DOUG, ANDY, SIDNEY, JACK, JIMMY AND BRIDGE AND MEGHAN WHO COULD CALL THIS MAN THEIR OWN.

ON BEHALF OF THE SENATE AND THE ENTIRE NATION, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR LENDING HIM TO US LONGER THAN WE HAD A RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING HIM WHILE HE SUPPORTED US.

HALF A WORLD AWAY, WEARING OUR NATION's UNIFORM, JOHN MCCAIN STOOD UP FOR EVERY VALUE THAT THIS CAPITOL BUILDING REPRESENTS.

THEN HE BROUGHT THAT SAME PATRIOTISM INSIDE ITS WALLS TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, OUR VETERANS AND OUR MORAL LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD.

SO IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT TODAY NEAR THE END OF HIS LONG JOURNEY, IN THIS GREAT HALL UNDER THIS MIGHTY DOME LIKE OTHER AMERICAN HEROS BEFORE HIM, HE LIES HERE.

HERE AS A RESTLESS WAVE APPROACHES THE SHORES OF ETERNITY, WE THANK GOD FOR GIVING THIS COUNTRY JOHN MCCAIN.

ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION AND ON BEHALF OF CONGRESS I WANT TO BEGIN BY GIVING THANKS TO THE MCCAIN FAMILY FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

WE SHARE YOUR ANGUISH IN LOSING THIS GREAT MAN.

RARELY DOES THIS GLORIOUS ROTUNDA FALL SILENT AT THIS HOUR.

ON A DAY LIKE THIS, JOHN WOULD USUALLY BE BOUNDING THIS WAY OR THAT WAY RIGHT THROUGH HERE VISITORS TURNING TO EACH OTHER ASKING IF THAT's WHO THEY THINK IT IS.

BUT IN THIS QUIET HOUR, WE ARE LEFT TO PONDER HOW HIS LIFE SPEAKS TO US.

JOHN MCCAIN DESERVES TO BE REMEMBERED AS HE WISHED TO BE REMEMBERED.

A PATRIOT WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY, A MAN, YES, OF THE SENATE BUT ALSO A MAN OF THE HOUSE, A NAVY MAN, A FAMILY MAN, A MAN WHO MADE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS PEOPLE, A MAN OF CONVICTION, A MAN OF STATE.

THERE'S A LINE FROM HIS FAREWELL STATEMENT THAT REALLY JUST GRABBED ME.

OUR IDENTITIES AND SENSE OF WORTH ARE NOT CIRCUMSCRIBED BY IN LARGE SERVING GOOD CAUSES BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.

THAT's JOHN MCCAIN.

HOW FITTING AND HOW TRUE.

WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN IS WHAT HE STOOD FOR.

THE RICH BLESSINGS THAT ONLY FREEDOM CAN BESTOW, THE SENSE OF PURPOSE THAT A BATTLE JOINED CAN BRING.

THE COMMON HUMANITY THAT BURNS IN EACH OF OUR HEARTS.

HEMINGWAY ONCE WROTE, "THE WORLD BREAKS EVERY ONE AND AFTERWARD MANY ARE STRONG AT THE BROKEN PLACES."

NO ONE, NO ONE WAS STRONGER AT THE BROKEN PLACES THAN JOHN MCCAIN.

HE NEVER LOST THE JOY THAT TIME CAN DULL FOR THE EDGE THAT POLITICAL LIFE SO OFTEN SANDS AWAY, I MYSELF FROM TIME TO TIME FOUND MYSELF ON THE RECEIVING END OF JOHN's DISTINCT BRAND OF CANDOR.

HAPPILY SO.

I REMEMBER THINKING MORE THAN ONCE, YEAH, HE REALLY DOES TALK LIKE A SAILOR.

BUT YOU SEE, WITH JOHN IT WAS NEVER FAMED DISAGREEMENTS.

THE MAN DIDN'T FEIGN ANYTHING.

HE JUST RELISHED THE FIGHT.

HE SHOWED US THAT IN THE ARENA, THE HONEST BACK AND FORTH, THAT's WHERE THE CAUSE GETS BIGGER.

THAT's WHERE IS ALL THE SWEETER.

WE GET STRONGER ON THE BROKEN PLACES.

THOUGH THE HIGHEST OFFICE ELUDED HIM, HE ATTAINED WHAT IS FAR MORE ENDURING, THE ABIDING AFFECTION OF HIS FELLOW CITIZENS.

AND AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SO I THINK AHEAD NOW.

I THINK AHEAD TO THE DAY WHEN I, LIKE SO MANY, BRING MY CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN TO THAT HALLOWED LAWN IN ANNAPOLIS.

I THINK ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT SAY TO THEM.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BRAVEST SOULS OUR NATION HAS EVER PRODUCED.

HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO YOUR PARTY HOPE YOU DO IT THE WAY HE DID, WITH ENERGY AND URGENCY, PLAYING FOR KEEPS AND NEVER BACK ON YOUR HEELS, NEVER LETTING PRINCIPAL YIELD TO EXPEDIENCE.

RESISTING THE FALSE ALLURE OF THE FLEETING AND BATTING DOWN THE HATCHES WHEN THINGS GET ROUGH AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVING A REALLY GOOD STORY TO TELL.

THE DAY OUR NATION BOWS IN GRIEF, TODAY, BUT HERE, IN A GAZE OF THE GREATS, WHERE SOLDIERS KNOWN AND UNKNOWN HAVE LAID BEFORE, WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL THING, A CHANCE TO DO FOR THIS MAN WHAT HE DID FOR US.

TO STAND UP AND EMBRACE THE CAUSE OF HIS LIFE.

NO ONE CAN FULFILL THIS CHARGE BUT ALL OF US SURE CAN TRY.

BECAUSE ALL OF THIS, ALL OF THIS, IT's WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

GOD BLESS JOHN MCCAIN.

AND GOD BLESS THE COUNTRY HE SO DEARLY LOVED.

>> LEADER MCCONNELL, SPEAKER RYAN, LEADER SCHUMER AND LEADER PELOSI AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES AND HONORED GUESTS AND MOST OF ALL, TO MCCAIN FAMILY, TO CINDY, HIS CHILDREN AND MRS.

ROBERTA MCCAIN.

IT IS DEEPLY HUMBLING TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AT THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN.

THE PRESIDENT ASKED ME TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION TO PAY A DEBT OF HONOR AND RESPECT TO A MAN WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE IN UNIFORM AND IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

AND IT's MY GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE.

IN THE LONG HISTORY OF OUR NATION ONLY 30 AMERICANS HAVE LAIN IN STATE HERE AT THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL ROTUNDA.

TODAY AS A REFLECTION OF THE ESTEEM IN WHICH HIS COLLEAGUES AND OUR COUNTRY HOLD HIM, SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN JOINS THOSE RANKS.

THE SON AND THE GRANDSON OF 4 STAR ADMIRALS, JOHN CAME FROM A FAMILY THAT PRIZED MILITARY SERVICE.

HE ENTERED THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY WHEN HE WAS JUST 17 YEARS OLD.

HIS SERVICE AS A NAVAL AVIATOR TOOK HIM AROUND THE WORLD AND EVENTUALLY TO THE WAR IN VIETNAM.

IT WAS THERE ON HIS 23RD BOMBING RUN THAT JOHN WAS SHOT DOWN AND CAPTURED.

REFUSING EARLY RELEASE FOR THE SAKE OF HIS COMRADES, HE ENDURED 5.5 YEARS OF CONFINEMENT AND TORTURE.

THEN AS NOW AMERICANS MARVEL AT THE IRON WILL OF JOHN MCCAIN.

BUT CAPTIVITY DID NOT DIMINISH JOHN's SENSE OF CALLING.

FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO MISSION.

AS HE WOULD LATER SAY, "I FELL IN LOVE WITH MY COUNTRY WHEN I WAS A PRISONER IN SOMEONE ELSE's."

AND AFTER HE MADE IT HOME, JOHN TRADED SERVICE IN THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES FOR SERVICE IN CONGRESS.

EXCHANGING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN FOR CONGRESSMAN AND LATER SENATOR.

FOR 35 YEARS JOHN SERVED IN THESE VERY HALLS UNDER THIS VERY DOME.

AND HE FOUGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

IN MY YEARS IN CONGRESS AND AS VICE PRESIDENT, WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE EITHER.

AND HE ALMOST ALWAYS NOTICED.

BUT HIS SUPPORT FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT, FOR TAX REFORM AND SUPPORT FOR OUR ARMED FORCES SURELY LEFT OUR NATION MORE PROSPEROUS AND MORE SECURE AND HE WILL BE MISSED.

AS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID YESTERDAY, WE RESPECT HIS SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY.

LIKE MANY OF YOU GATHERED HERE I ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TRAVELING WITH SENATOR MCCAIN TO VISIT OUR TROOPS OVERSEAS.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, I TOLD CINDY OF THE TIME ON A TRIP THROUGH IRAQ AFTER ANOTHER 18 HOUR DAY WHEN I WAS LITERALLY FALLING ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF A DINNER WITH IRAQI OFFICIALS.

AFTER THE DINNER, JOHN WHO WAS MORE THAN 20 YEARS OLDER THAN ME, WALKED UP AND PUT HIS HAND ON MY SHOULDER AND SAID, "MIKE, WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE MEETINGS TONIGHT BUT WHY DON'T YOU TURN IN.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD USE SOME REST."

THANKS, JOHN.

HONESTLY SEEING HIM DOWN RANGE I NEVER TRAVELLED WITH A COLLEAGUE WHO WAS BETTER TO OUR ENLISTED OR HARDER ON OUR GENERALS.

JOHN MCCAIN LOVED THE MEN AND WOMAN WHO SERVED IN THE UNIFORM OF THE UNITED STATES, AND HE WAS A CHAMPION OF OUR ARMED FORCES THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.

IN EVERY GENERATION THERE ARE THOSE WHO PUT COUNTRY FIRST, WHO PRIZE SERVICE AHEAD OF SELF, WHO SUMMON IDEALISM FROM A CYNICAL AGE.

JOHN MCCAIN WAS SUCH A MAN.

TODAY HE LIES IN THE PLACE WHERE HE SERVED TO THE LAST, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

SOON HE WILL GO TO REST ON THE GROUNDS WHERE HE SERVED FIRST, THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY.

THE EYES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL BE UPON HIM AS HE GOES.

AND SO, TOO, WILL THEIR PRAYERS.

FOR HIM AND ESPECIALLY FOR HIS BELOVED FAMILY GATHERED HERE TODAY AND WE WILL PRAY THAT THOSE WHO MOURN SHALL BE COMFORTED.

SO WE MOURN WITH THOSE WHO MOURN AND WE GRIEVE WITH THOSE WHO GRIEVE BUT WE DO NOT GRIEVE LIKE THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOPE.

BECAUSE JOHN MCCAIN, LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, HELD FIRM TO THAT HOPE FROM AN OLD HYMN THAT BECAME THE TITLE OF A BOOK HE WROTE SOME 20 YEARS AGO "FAITH OF OUR FATHERS."

THE FULL STANZA OF THAT HYMN READS, "FAITH OF OUR FATHERS LIVING STILL IN SPITE OF DUNGEON, FIRE AND SWORD.

0 HOW OUR HEARTS BEAT HIGH WITH JOY WHENEVER WE HEAR THAT GLORIOUS WORD."

JOHN MCCAIN HELD FIRM TO THAT FAITH.

THE FAITH OF HIS FATHERS.

THROUGH DUNGEONS, FIRE AND SWORD.

AND HE HELD FAST TO HIS FAITH IN AMERICA, THROUGH 6 DECADES OF SERVICE.

WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO HONOR AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, SERVED THE CAUSE GREATER THAN HIMSELF AND WE GATHER HERE REMEMBERING A MAN WHO KNEW HOW HE WANTED TO BE REMEMBERED.

SO LET ME SAY TO ALL THOSE GATHERED AND HIS BELOVED FAMILY, ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION, WE WILL EVER REMEMBER THAT JOHN MCCAIN SERVED HIS COUNTRY AND JOHN MCCAIN SERVED HIS COUNTRY HONORABLY.

MAY GOD BLESS THE MEMORY OF JOHN MCCAIN.

MAY GOD COMFORT HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

LET US BOW OUR HEADS FOR THE BENEDICTION.

ETERNAL LORD GOD WHO HAS MADE OF ONE BLOOD ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH, WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE CONSEQUENTIAL LIFE OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN A DRUM MAJOR FOR COURAGE, TRUTH AND JUSTICE.

EXCEPT OUR GRATITUDE FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED UPON PRINCIPALS FOR HIS PRAGMATIC LEADERSHIP DURING TURBULENT TIMES AND FOR HIS LIFE OF EXEMPLARY AND HEROIC SERVICE.

LORD, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS EFFORTS TO DO WHAT WAS IN THE COUNTRY's BEST INTEREST AND FOR PROVIDING INSPIRATION THAT KEPT OUR NATION STRONG.

IT REMINDS US THAT WE ARE TIED TO A SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY NEEDING ONE ANOTHER TO FULFILL YOUR PURPOSES FOR OUR LIVES.

MAY THE LIFE OF THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT INSPIRE US TO SEE YOU MORE CLEARLY TO LOVE YOU MORE DEARLY AND TO FOLLOW YOU MORE NEARLY EACH DAY.

NOW UNTO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO KEEP US WITHOUT STUMBLING OR SLIPPING WITH THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH UNSPEAKABLE DELIGHT WE ASCRIBE GLORY, MAJESTY AND MIGHT AND DOMINION AND POWER NOW AND ALWAYS.

WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF THE REDEEMER, JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.