Dear Friends:

On Sunday, May 20, I participated in Armed Forces Day and administered the Oath of Enlistment to 61 young Hoosiers joining various branches of the Armed Forces.  This annual event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a remarkable day of celebration and an opportunity to thank the members of our Armed Forces for their commitment and vital service.   

Armed Forces Day also gave us an opportunity in advance of Memorial Day weekend to remember the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country to protect our freedoms. 

During the month of May, I also gave several speeches in which I continued to make the point that overcoming U.S. dependence on imported energy and working with other nations to prevent energy crises are fundamental national security imperatives.  In a speech to the 2007 Deloitte Energy Conference, I called for increased presidential leadership of a national energy campaign focusing on the goals of making biofuels available to every motorist in America and increasing mileage standards.  In an address to the Environmental Defense Board of Trustees, I highlighted the potential for Congress to make progress on numerous environmental fronts including climate change, the Farm Bill and the Law of the Sea Treaty.

I also had the special opportunity to share tastes of Indiana with fellow senators when I hosted the Thursday Club Luncheon on Thursday, May 24.  Historically, the Thursday Club began as small group of senators meeting in their personal offices for lunch. Today, we rotate hosting duties of the weekly lunches, sharing food and gifts that represent our home states.

The highlights of our Indiana lunch included braised turkey forestier donated by Farbest Foods in Huntingburg, salad with award winning dressing donated by Hollyhock Hill in Indianapolis and apple pie a la mode from Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury. 

Sincerely,

Richard G. Lugar United States Senator