When extreme heat canceled Washington's 250th Independence Day Parade on the night before the Fourth, more than 150 members of Florida's Firefighter Pipes & Drums were left unable to march and perform after they'd traveled hundreds of miles.

Many of these men and women literally run toward danger for a living—and the pipers who aren’t first responders themselves honor the fallen in their “last alarm” bell ceremonies—so I wasn't about to let them go back home without experiencing D.C. .

Early on the morning of July 4th, I picked up the phone. Because U.S. House of Representative rules limit each Member of Congress to escorting no more than 100 visitors at a time, we needed help. My colleague, and fellow Floridian, Rep. Randy Fine didn't hesitate to answer my call and race over so every last one of them could experience the People’s House.

We brought all 150-plus firefighters and their families into the Capitol for a private tour, and when they reached the Rotunda, standing beneath the dome, they did the thing they'd come all this way to do: share their patriotism and celebrate our great nation. They sang the Star-Spangled Banner, and there wasn't a better place in America to hear them on the “250th Fourth of July.”

Thank you to Rep. Fine, to the Capitol staff who made it happen on no notice, and above all to the patriots who show us exactly what this country is made of.

We truly live in the greatest nation known to man.