WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) yesterday announced their bipartisan Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act passed the Senate unanimously. The bill, S. 1004, would direct the President to call on the U.S. to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day in honor of those who served our country.

“Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifice made by generations of brave men and women who fought for freedom,” Senator Kirk said. “For the entire nation to pause for a moment of silence would be a simple but powerful reminder of the debt we owe to our nation’s veterans.”

“It is right that our nation observe a moment of silence to honor the many moments of service and sacrifice given by our veterans,” Senator Durbin said. “It is also right that we continue to honor and recognize their service, not just on Veterans Day this Wednesday, but every day, by upholding the promises we have made to them.”

The two minutes of silence would occur each Veterans Day at 1:11 p.m. Central Standard Time (2:11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time). The timing is based on the Armistice Day tradition of commemorating the end of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – the reason Veterans Day in the U.S. falls on November 11.