总统乔·拜登副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯周一在阿灵顿国家公墓纪念退伍军人节，这是自上周选举以来他们第一次一起露面。
在拜登在纪念圆形剧场发表讲话之前，两人参加了在无名战士墓举行的敬献花圈仪式。
“这是我最后一次作为总司令站在阿灵顿这里，”拜登说。“领导你们、服务你们、关心你们、保卫你们，就像你们保卫我们一样，这是我一生中最大的荣幸。”
拜登首先引用了亚伯拉罕·林肯总统的话，他说这是“作为一个国家走到一起”的时刻。
他说:“这个世界依赖于你们每一个人和我们所有人，你们所有人，继续尊重战争中的男女和家庭。”“继续保护他们为之奋斗的一切。继续努力治愈我们国家的创伤。不断完善我们的联盟。”
周一早些时候，拜登和第一夫人吉尔·拜登在白宫接待了退伍军人、军人和护理人员。
拜登吹捧他在退伍军人事务上的记录，包括解决退伍军人无家可归问题和通过契约法案。
白宫周一宣布了解决退伍军人有毒物质暴露问题的新努力，包括扩大被认为是退伍军人伤残福利的癌症。这个话题是拜登的私人话题，他的儿子博(Beau)于2015年因癌症去世。拜登说，他认为在博被派往伊拉克期间暴露在海外的燃烧坑中是导致他死亡的原因之一。
“对于所有的军人家庭，所有那些有亲人仍然失踪或下落不明的人，所有为失去身穿军装的亲人而悲伤的美国人，吉尔和我想让你们知道，我们看到了你们。我们感谢你。我们永远不会停止努力，履行我们对你们和你们家人的神圣义务。
第一夫人吉尔·拜登和第二先生道格·艾姆霍夫也在阿灵顿纪念这个节日。拜登发表讲话时，他们坐在哈里斯和国务卿安东尼·布林肯旁边。
拜登在讲话中还提到了从阿富汗撤军的问题。从冲突中撤军的处理成为共和党批评的避雷针。
“在我们抓到本拉登之后，四位总统面临着是否结束我们历史上最长的阿富汗战争的决定，”他说。"我决心不把它留给第五个人。"
前总统唐纳德·特朗普8月份参观了墓地，纪念阿富汗机场袭击事件三周年，袭击造成13名美国军人死亡。一;一个事件被描述为他的竞选团队和一名墓地工作人员之间的对抗引发了一项调查似乎正在进行截至10月下旬。
特朗普上周在总统竞选中击败了哈里斯。这位前总统横扫七个摇摆州，预计他将赢得312张选举人票，哈里斯将获得226张选举人票，他有望赢得普选。
哈里斯11月6日承认，称她将帮助权力的和平过渡，并发誓要继续“推动这场竞选的斗争”
拜登在哈里斯落选后发表讲话，称赞她开展了一场“鼓舞人心的”竞选活动，并恳求美国人“降温”。
拜登和特朗普将于周三在白宫会面，恢复特朗普在2020年竞选失败后没有参与的传统。
Biden on Veterans Day calls for US to 'come together as a nation'
PresidentJoe Bidenand Vice PresidentKamala Harrisobserved Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday in what was their first appearance together since last week’s election.
The two participated in a full honor wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before Biden made remarks at the Memorial Amphitheater.
“This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander in chief,” Biden said. “It's been the greatest honor of my life to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you, just as you defended us.”
Biden, who began by quoting President Abraham Lincoln, said this is the moment to "come together as a nation."
"The world is dependent on each of you and all of us, all of you, to keep honoring the women and the men and the families of borne, the battle," he said. "To keep protecting everything they fought for. To keep striving to heal our nation's wounds. To keep perfecting our union."
Earlier Monday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted veterans, members of the military and caregivers at the White House.
Biden touted his record on veterans affairs, including bringing down veteran homelessness and passing the PACT Act.
The White House on Monday announced new efforts to address toxic exposures for veterans, including an expansion of the cancers considered presumptive for VA disability benefits. The topic is a personal one for Biden, whose son Beau died from cancer in 2015. Biden said he believes exposure to burn pits overseas during Beau’s deployment to Iraq contributed to his death.
“For all the military families, all those with a loved one still missing or unaccounted for, all Americans grieving the loss of a loved one who wore the uniform, Jill and I want you to know we see you. We thank you. And we will never stop working to meet our sacred obligation to you and your families,” Biden said.
First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff were also at Arlington to commemorate the holiday. They sat alongside Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken as Biden made his remarks.
Biden also raised the military withdrawal from Afghanistan during his address. The handling of removing troops from the conflict became a lightning rod for Republican criticism.
“Four presidents faced the decision after we got [Osama] bin Laden whether to end our longest war in history in Afghanistan,” he said. “I was determined not to leave it to a fifth.”
Former President Donald Trump visited the cemetery in August to mark the third anniversary of the Afghanistan airport attack that killed 13 U.S. service members. Anincidentdescribed as a confrontation between his campaign and a cemetery worker prompted an investigation thatappeared ongoingas of late October.
Trump defeated Harris last week in the presidential race. The former president swept the seven swing states and he is projected to win 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, and he is on track to win the popular vote.
Harrisconceded on Nov. 6, saying she would help with a peaceful transition of power and vowed to continue the “fight that fueled this campaign.”
Biden, in his own remarks after Harris’ loss, praised her for running an “inspiring” campaign and implored Americans to “bring down the temperature.”
Biden and Trump are set to meet at the White House on Wednesday, restoring a tradition that Trump did not participate in after he lost the 2020 election.
