[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 12, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9284-S9288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will state the resolution.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows.
A joint resolution (SJ. Res. 22) expressing the sense of
the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding the
terrorist attacks launched against the United States on
September 11, 2001:
Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and
destroyed four civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into
the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and a
third into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C.;
Whereas thousands of innocent Americans were killed and
injured as a result of these attacks, including the
passengers and crew of the four aircraft, workers in the
World Trade Center and in the Pentagon, rescue workers, and
bystanders;
Whereas these attacks destroyed both towers of the World
Trade Center, as well as adjacent buildings, and seriously
damaged the Pentagon; and
Whereas these attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist
attacks ever launched against the United States, and, by
targeting symbols of American strength and success, clearly
were intended to intimidate our Nation and weaken its
resolve: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That
Congress--
(1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorists
who planned and carried out the September 11, 2001, attacks
against the United States, as well as their sponsors;
(2) extends its deepest condolences to the victims of these
heinous and cowardly attacks, as well as to their families,
friends, and loved ones;
(3) is certain that the people of the United States will
stand united as our Nation begins the process of recovering
and rebuilding in the aftermath of these tragic acts;
(4) commends the heroic actions of the rescue workers,
volunteers, and State and local officials who responded to
these tragic events with courage, determination, and skill;
(5) declares that these premeditated attacks struck not
only at the people of America, but also at the symbols and
structures of our economic and military strength, and that
the United States is entitled to respond under international
law;
(6) thanks those foreign leaders and individuals who have
expressed solidarity with the United States in the aftermath
of the attacks, and asks them to continue to stand with the
United States in the war against international terrorism;
(7) commits to support increased resources in the war to
eradicate terrorism;
(8) supports the determination of the President, in close
consultation with Congress, to bring to justice and punish
the perpetrators of these attacks as well as their sponsors;
and
(9) declares that September 12, 2001, shall be a National
Day of Unity and Mourning, and that when Congress adjourns
today, it stands adjourned out of respect to the victims of
the terrorist attacks.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the resolution? Hearing no objection, the resolution
is before the Senate.
The majority leader is recognized.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, it is with pain, sorrow, anger, and
resolve that I stand before this Senate, a symbol for 212 years of the
strength of our democracy, and say that America will emerge from this
tragedy, as we have emerged from all adversity, united and strong.
The America in which we awoke today is far different from the one in
which we awoke yesterday. This morning, as our rescue workers and
medical personnel continue their heroic work, we begin to truly
understand the enormity of what happened.
My heart aches for the people of New York, our men and women serving
at the Pentagon, the passengers and crew of the four hijacked aircraft,
and for their families and friends. These attacks were an assault on
our people and on our freedom. They aimed at the heart of the American
community and the symbols and structures of our economic and military
strength.
As an American, as an elected representative, I am outraged. As a
husband and a father, I am pained beyond words. Last night we sent the
message to the world that, even in the face of such cowardly and
heinous acts, the doors of democracy will not close. This joint
resolution we laid down today condemns yesterday's attacks, expresses
our sympathy for the victims, and our support for the President as our
Commander in Chief.
The world should know that the Members of both parties in both Houses
stand united. The full resources of our Government will be brought to
bear in aiding the search and rescue and in hunting down those
responsible and those who may have aided or harbored them.
Nothing--nothing--can replace the losses that have been suffered. I
know there is only the smallest measure of inspiration that can be
taken from this devastation. But there is a passage in the Bible from
Isaiah that I think speaks to all of us at times such as this:
The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with
dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will
replace them with cedars.
That is what we will do. We will rebuild and we will recover. The
people of America will stand strong together because the people of
America have always stood together. And those of us privileged to serve
this great Nation will stand with you.
God bless the people of America.
I yield the floor.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, any expression of sympathy for the suffering
today is too weak. Every expression of horror at this outrage is too
mild. But we must confront these acts and find a way to come together
and make sure that this kind of heinous, vicious action will not happen
again in America. This premediated action against innocent men and
women and children and their families, at the symbols of our country--
our economic strength, our military strength, and most importantly, our
freedoms--is unimaginable.
There's no way to understand it, to explain it, to defend it.
Americans just don't think that way. That makes it hard for us to
comprehend this very difficult moment and to do what's necessary to
deal with terrorism and stop it in the future.
Our prayers are going out to the victims and their families, to those
who are suffering in so many ways in New York, in Virginia, and in
Pennsylvania--in all of America. We have such a debt of appreciation to
pay to those who have struggled mightily with these catastrophic events
at the Pentagon and at the World Trade Center and in our cities and
states--the volunteers, those who gave their lives trying to deal with
this terrible moment. To our allies and to those around the world who
see this not just as a strike at America, but at freedom and democracy
all over the world, and to those who already have extended hands of
cooperation, understanding, and support, we appreciate it on behalf of
the American people.
Now, Mr. President, it's so important that we show that even these
terrible acts cannot stop America from going forward. We must get on
with important work. But it is important also to make it clear that
this is not business as usual. We're going ahead with our
responsibilities. But we are going to act now, tomorrow, and in the
weeks and months ahead to deal with those people who have taken these
actions and with those who have supported them.
We will take whatever action is necessary in the Congress, working
with the administration, working with the American team to stop this
kind of terrorism. Whatever we call it, we must put ourselves in a war
footing. We must make up our minds we're going to fight this scourge of
the world. We will. We have come together.
There are moments in history when in the past the people of this
country have set aside conflicts and prejudices and passions and have
come together. We'll do it now. We've already done it. But we must
continue to do so, regardless of region, religion, party, philosophy,
or anything else.
There's much to do. We've got to find out how this happened. Congress
has a right and a responsibility to learn what has happened here. We
must find out who did it. And we must be prepared to take actions and
fight terrorist attacks in the future.
This is not a time for timidity. This is not a time for
pontification. Yes, we need to be sure of our actions. We need to be
committed and determined. We need to be bold.
Here in the Congress I hope we will think about how we most
effectively
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can fulfill our responsibilities to do everything we can to fight
terrorism, to provide the funds necessary in this fight and to provide
the aid so necessary for those who have been damaged and have lost so
much.
Just in a few hours we will take up the Commerce-State-Justice
appropriations bill. In that bill is funding for counterterrorism. Is
it enough? Can we do more? What should we do? I call on the Senate, as
I know it will, to rise to this occasion, to be bold. Let's act
together. The American people expect no less.
I yield the floor, Mr. President.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Nevada, Mr. Reid.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, Senator Daschle, the majority leader, has
asked that I announce that Senator Biden, the chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee, will manage the discussion on this resolution
today.
I join my colleagues in saying that my thoughts and prayers are with
those individuals and families who were victimized by the cowardly
terrorist acts perpetrated against the United States yesterday.
We in Congress stand united in our resolve to ensure that President
Bush has every necessary resource as he leads our great Nation forward
in the coming days and weeks and months.
I am very confident that every Member of the Senate views this as an
American issue. No party affiliation, no partisanship, no attempt to
gain political advantage--nothing--will erode our solidarity or
undermine our united resolve as we respond to protect our country and
our people.
I personally express my appreciation to our Capitol Police men and
women who yesterday acted so brilliantly, so heroically, in being
called to arms, literally, at a moment's notice. I am very proud of the
Capitol Police. We all should be. Every day they put their lives on the
line for us.
My heart goes out to the police officers and firemen in New York who
lost their lives attempting to help other people.
I hope we will all join with Senators Durbin and Bennett to make sure
that every penny necessary to build the Visitors Center is provided
this year. We need more than a plaque on a wall for Officer Chestnut
and Detective Gibson. In their honor, we need to build a Visitors
Center, because Officer Chestnut and Detective Gibson gave their lives
protecting us, our staffs, and the millions of people who visit the
Capitol complex every year. Building the Capitol Visitors Center is
critical to ensuring the safety of all those who come to the U.S.
Capitol.
We will do everything in our power to support President Bush in his
efforts to ensure that those who have done such evil and perpetrated
these despicable acts do not go unpunished.
But let me be clear about what we know. America is the greatest
democracy and force for freedom the world has ever known. All of
America will stand together to make sure that we rebuild and that we
fight back, and that Americans continue to enjoy the freedoms and
liberty that are the hallmark of this great country of ours.
Perhaps of even greater importance, we must guarantee that no such
act of terrorism ever revisits our Nation's shores. Future generations
of Americans must never again feel the profound pain and grief that we
feel today from Nevada to New York and back.
As we mourn the loss of our fellow Americans, we must focus on the
task ahead. Yesterday's barbaric attacks against the United States were
not just acts of terror; they were acts of war perpetrated by the
uncivilized.
And in the war against those who would use terror to attack innocent
civilians, our democratic values and our freedom, the United States--as
the leader of the free world and its only remaining superpower--should
be prepared to use every diplomatic, economic, and military means at
our disposal to defend ourselves and to defeat these forces of evil.
Of course, we should deploy our best diplomatic efforts to engage our
friends and allies around the world in this war against international
terrorism. Of course we should do that.
I personally appreciate, as I think our Nation should, and does, the
support immediately expressed yesterday by President Putin and the
Russian people.
As our allies around the world look to us for leadership and
protection, we must call upon all nations to provide their friendship
and support in this critical time of need. However, while diplomacy
will play a central role in this war against terrorism, we must deploy
the full economic and military might of the United States against those
who threaten our citizens, our national security interests, our
democracy, and our freedom.
As I supported President George Herbert Walker Bush 10 years ago in
his decision to use the overwhelming military force of the United
States in the Persian Gulf war, I stand with President George W. Bush
in his commitment to use every means at our disposal to exterminate the
perpetrators of yesterday's acts of terror and war. Those who kill
innocent Americans must be held accountable. And make no mistake about
it, they will be. Moreover, I stand firmly with the President on this
crucial point: Those who aid and harbor perpetrators of terror must
also be held accountable. Make no mistake about that, they will be.
While I can assure the American people that we will hunt down those
barbarians who committed yesterday's acts of terrorism, we must also
act to prevent these types of attacks from occurring in the
future. International terrorism is perhaps the greatest modern threat
to our national security interests. We must be prepared to act
accordingly.
General Holland, the U.S. Air Force Commander in Chief of the Special
Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, directs our
counterterrorism efforts on behalf of the U.S. military. He has no
civilian counterpart. We need to establish one.
The successful fight against terrorism is one that will require the
highest level of diplomatic skill in gathering intelligence, as well as
the most effective use for economic and military strength. However,
when diplomacy fails, as regrettably it does on occasion, we must be
prepared to employ alternatives. Terrorists, especially those who have
the capability to plan and execute the kinds of attacks we witnessed
graphically yesterday, require a significant level of financing and
protection. We should be prepared to use alternatives such as economic
sanctions to deter and prevent nations, organizations, and individuals
from aiding and abetting those who engage in terrorism.
When diplomacy and economic sanctions fail, as they do on occasion,
our resolve to fight terrorism must not waiver. We must use military
force in the war against terrorism--and not just in response to
terrorism but also to prevent future attacks.
Our friends, but more importantly our enemies, will judge us either
by our strength and resolve to fight international terrorism or by any
perceived weakness and complacency.
I assure the American people as well as our friends and allies
throughout the world, we as a nation are ready for this challenge. I
make it clear to enemies, to anyone who would consider bringing harm
upon Americans, our democratic values, and our freedom, that we are
strong, we are resolved, and we will prevail.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I am advised that the assistant
Republican leader would prefer to speak later in the day. I ask
unanimous consent all remarks be limited to no longer than 10 minutes
in order to accommodate as many Senators as possible. I earlier asked
if we could alternate between the two caucuses. I also request of the
Republican leader that we alternate now among the four Senators from
the two States that are most affected by the horrendous tragedy
yesterday, beginning, of course, with Senator Schumer and Senator
Warner.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I seek the recognition of the Chair to note
that if I have to leave the floor, Senator Gregg will manage the time
on our side.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the order, the senior Senator from
New York, Mr. Schumer, is recognized.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I very much appreciate, first, the
hundreds of expressions of the Members of this body and the heartfelt
expressions of
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grief to New Yorkers during our time of grief and our sadness. We need
to move forward.
When something this cataclysmic occurs, one's mind works at many,
many different levels. It is very difficult to come to grips with such
an intense and terrible tragedy, but we must; we have to. We seek as
guidance the generations before us who had their tragedies, they who
rose to the occasion. We must, as well.
There are many different levels of this tragedy. I will discuss four:
the individual level, the level as a New Yorker, the level as an
American, and the level of the world.
As an individual, our first thought goes to all who grieve. Last
night in my city and State, there were thousands of dinner tables with
a missing person. There were thousands of families waiting for that
phone call, dialing their phones endlessly to try to find a loved one.
I know a little bit of the angst they went through. I was in the gym
when this occurred, getting ready to address the Supreme Court. I saw
the picture of the first damage to the World Trade Center. At first, I
said what most said: This must have been an accident, a little
propeller plane that accidentally ran into the World Trade Center.
But the fire looked too large. Then we saw the second plane crash.
Immediately, it hit me: My daughter attends high school within the
shadow of the World Trade Center. Most of the pictures of the
conflagration show her high school in the background. I reached my wife
and for 2 hours we were in virtual panic, trying to locate her to see
how she was. Then, praise God, she called and we were relieved. Those 2
hours of pure misery are now being experienced tenfold, a hundredfold,
a thousandfold by all of the families in New York and in Washington and
in Boston and in California who have lost loved ones to this dastardly
and disgusting act.
So we first think as individuals how this has affected the lives of
all of us. Everyone in New York right now knows somebody who is
missing. I know someone on the 104th floor who worked for the good firm
of Cantor Fitzgerald. We can't find hardly anybody from that firm. He
called his parents, told them he loved them, and they haven't heard
from him since.
On television yesterday was the search of a mother and two daughters
for their father and husband who worked in the World Trade Center
restaurant. I have two daughters about the same age. We saw those
little girls. There was almost nothing you could say. I have
subsequently been told they found their father. Let us hope and pray
that the others find their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters,
friends. Let us hope and pray that this tragedy, which is already the
largest tragedy we have experienced since World War II, is as minimal
as possible. But our hearts go out to all of those who are suffering
now. We are with them from one end of this country to the other.
Our city is a beautiful city. We have been bringing in people from
all over the world for 300 years. In one generation we change them into
Americans, and they sally forth around the country, adding vim and
vigor and new ideas. That function of New York will never die. We are
an international city and we love being an international city. We New
Yorkers feel the loss of life as a whole, as a city.
Out my window in Brooklyn, the dominant scene, after the Statue of
Liberty looking over the harbor, are the two towers. Not seeing them
anymore, I feel violated. I feel that some horrible person has come in
and taken something away from all of us as a city. But we will survive
and we will prevail. We are New Yorkers. The diligent firefighters and
police officers, many of whom have now passed, run ``to'' tragedy, not
away from it; their job is to save.
It was told to me by many people that the lines to give blood went
around block after block. People were waiting at 9 o'clock, at
midnight, at 3 in the morning, standing in line because they knew blood
was needed. This morning I am happy to tell my colleagues that the
crisis, at least in terms of blood donation, is over. We do have enough
blood.
I was told of the story of the merchant whose store was on the path
from the World Trade Center North. He owned a shoe store. He stood
outside and gave the fleeing women sneakers, just handing out sneakers,
tennis shoes. He knew they couldn't run in their high heels. That is a
New Yorker; and there are millions of us.
We are going to need your help. It has already been offered. I was
gratified when the President called me yesterday afternoon and said
this Nation will do anything it takes to help New York recover. I was
gratified when just about every Member came over to me and to Hillary
and offered us the help that we will need. We need help immediately.
The FEMA Director, I believe, will be flying with us to New York
early this afternoon to try to give help in terms of survival, in terms
of the immediate rescue. We will need lots of help after that. We have
suffered a huge, huge loss. Our financial industries have to recover,
the lifeblood of the Nation and the world. I appreciate the offers. We
will be counting on everyone here and in the other body and the White
House.
As an American, make no mistake about it, we did wake up in a new
world in America. It is a new era. Since World War II, we had the cold
war. We had a brief respite, for 5, 7, 10 years. But we are now in a
new era. There are forces against us, and they are in many corners of
the world. They hate us for our freedom. They are against the very
progress that we have made. They want to turn the clock all the way
back to the Middle Ages. In the past, there have always been backward
forces. But technology has given this group the power to affect our
lives in ways we never before imagined.
Yes, this was a 21st century Pearl Harbor but a little different
because they aimed at civilians, as they know our military is too
strong. They are ultimately cowards and bullies. It is not a nation
that does this, but it affects us. I say three things in that regard.
First, we are a resilient nation. We don't take anything on our
knees. We will not take this. I assure the enemies of America, the
enemies of freedom, the enemies of progress, of that.
Second, we must keep our freedoms as we do this. To constrict
ourselves would give them the victory. And we must keep them.
Third, I say this to all Americans: let us not respond in a way that
is unseemly of America. There are millions of Muslims and Arab
Americans in America. They have different views than I do on the Middle
East, staunchly different views. But they were not for this. Let us go
after those who advocate terrorism and destruction but not after a
whole people or nationality or religion. We have to avoid that. That is
the American thing to do.
Finally, thinking as a world citizen, we are in a new world,
interconnected but often nasty. Technology that has given us so much in
the last 20 years has given this small group, these small groups, the
ability to cause huge, huge damage. As with Pearl Harbor, we are
affected directly. Unlike Pearl Harbor, there is no name or ZIP Code or
address.
But the one common thread is this: If we stay as resolute as we did
after Pearl Harbor, we will win this war. We can and we will, if we
keep our resoluteness. As somebody involved in antiterrorism, I have
seen us go through paroxysms after each incident--3 months, 6 months of
attention and then business as usual. We cannot go back to business as
usual. We will not win this war against those who seek to destroy our
very way of life in a day or in a month or even a year. It is going to
take several. If we are resolute, we will succeed.
They have their weaknesses and their pressure points. I was glad the
President said we will not only go after the terrorists but those who
harbor terrorists. This could not have been done without some help from
countries. There are countries that aid terrorists. We know who they
are. They are on the terrorist list. They should not remain immune from
what happened. In fact, they are the weak pressure point of the groups
that seek to hurt us and destroy us.
Some of these awful people who did this yesterday knew how to fly
757s. There was no 757 in the mountains of Afghanistan. How did they
get access to learn to do this? These are the kinds of questions we
have to ask in the next weeks and months ahead, if we do find, as all
fingers seem to point, that is from where it came.
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We have to do one other thing. We have to have our European allies
know that this finger is not just pointed at us but at them. This idea
that for temporary economic advantage they can continue to have strong
economic relations with countries that help and abet and harbor
terrorists must go out the window.
I was proud to speak to the President yesterday. I assured him
something, and I think I speak for all of us: partisanship. Divisions
are out the window. He will be our leader. He will come up with a plan.
We will have advice and offer suggestions. But once that plan is
arrived at, we will unite.
This is a long struggle. It is not an easy struggle. But because of
our freedom, because of our American way of life, we will prevail.
In conclusion, this event will never leave us the same, not as
individuals, not as New Yorkers, not as Americans, not as residents of
the planet earth. But we can learn from it as we grieve. We can meet
the challenge and rise to the next level of civilization. I am
confident we will.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the order previously entered, the
senior Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, is recognized for not to
exceed 10 minutes.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues and commend our
leadership. I want to pick up on the note of our distinguished
colleague from New York. We will never be the same as a nation. That is
true. We will be a better nation. We will be a stronger nation, as we
step up to meet this challenge. Yesterday our great Nation, our people,
suffered in a single day its greatest tragedy of a single day.
Immediately thereafter, this Nation, arm in arm, embarked on what I
think history will reflect is its finest hour--hours yesterday, today,
and tomorrow, into the future.
Our Nation from coast to coast locked arms, irrespective of our
backgrounds, our cultures, our faiths, our beliefs--indeed, our
differences. We locked arms, united as a nation behind our President,
behind our Government, putting full faith in our Government to lead us
in this crisis.
I pray that our President, our Congress, the Governors of the States,
right on down to the city councils, the police, the firemen who are
working today, seize this opportunity and make our Nation even stronger
and greater.
Our challenge here in our legislature, working with the President and
others, will be to devise, yes, a strengthened security system in every
walk of life for America, regrettably, every walk of life, with
emphasis this morning on airports. But those of us who have worked in
the area of terrorism know that airports, yes, are vulnerable, but
there are many other areas in which we are vulnerable.
I am proud that the Senate Armed Services Committee, working with the
other committees of this body, 3 years ago, when I was privileged to be
chairman, instituted a special subcommittee solely dealing with those
threats that are emerging against the United States of America. We have
done a lot of work in this Congress. We have done our best to legislate
and put our funds behind us. But now let us seize this opportunity to
indeed make this Nation stronger.
Each of us will forever remember yesterday, where we were, what we
did. Those of us who convened here yesterday morning then went to our
staffs. I commend the leadership of the Congress, indeed, the police
and others who had an orderly evacuation. I then called the Secretary
of Defense, Don Rumsfeld and asked what could I do as the ranking
member of the committee to show my full support for the men and women
of the Armed Forces and the uniformed as well as the civilians. He
said: John, come over.
I called my colleague, the chairman, Senator Levin. We joined and
went over and stayed the better part of 3 hours which I will never
forget. The Secretary had us in the room, the chairman and I, the Joint
Chiefs, the other staff. We watched the operations. The President
called in. I watched the Secretary and the President. The Secretary
handed me the phone and said: The President wishes to speak to you.
America will be proud of the manner in which our command and control
of our military and indeed the executive branch functioned to address
this crisis. That chapter will be written.
I said to my friend, the Secretary: I want very much, as a Senator
from Virginia, to go and look at that area of the building that was
struck.
He said: Of course. I will escort you. And that he did for Senator
Levin and I.
We went around that building, in which I spent over 5 years of the
happiest days of my life in the Navy's secretariat. We speculated as
far back as the late 1960s and 1970s how that building could be
attacked. Yes, we thought of this scenario. But that is history.
There I saw that building and how that aircraft, Mr. President, was
skillfully guided and piloted such as to penetrate that building
through three or four of the rings. And as we are here today, the
casualties we know not in number, but what we do know and what I saw,
as I sat there but a few feet from the building, all around me were
voluntary firemen, men and women, professional firemen and rescue men
and women. Therein rests the greatness of our Nation as to how they
responded and what they were doing, unselfishly, risking their own
lives. We saw some coming out filled with smoke and debris but doing
what they could to help those trapped, dead or otherwise, in that
building.
Our colleagues from New York have most dramatically and
compassionately described what has occurred in their State. We grieve
with our citizens today who are suffering these losses, the dead, the
injured, and their families. But America remains unbowed.
America is stronger. America is united. And we the leadership have
our greatest challenge in this hour.
Again, as we pursue the legislative challenge to balance the
magnificence of our Constitution, which has held us united--it remains
the oldest continuously performing Republic in the world today--and
balance the need of additional security against human rights, civil
rights, and the rule of law, we will do it. Never before has our
Congress been faced with a greater challenge to preserve one of the
greatest parts of this Nation, and yet address the future.
Just a personal note, I remember World War II. I was a youngster in
the early parts of it. My generation, at age 17, we all volunteered, in
the fall of 1944, 1945. I became a sailor.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator's time has expired.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 2
minutes.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator will proceed.
Mr. WARNER. I remember that period very well, how all Americans
united. My generation of 17 and 18, we were prepared to do our part in
the war. But I called my children yesterday and I said much has been
said about the greatest generation, those who were privileged to serve
in World War II, those who were here on the home front. This Nation
pulled together, met our adversaries and emerged stronger.
I said, we may be remembered as the greatest generation, but my
children and your children will become the greater generation because
they will seize, with our leadership, the same challenge, the younger
generation in America, and go beyond what we achieved in World War II.
We will relentlessly pursue the enemy wherever they are, and we will
carefully, under the rule of law, seek justice. We will prevail and
become a stronger nation.
I thank this body for the privilege of addressing it and the Nation
today.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I make a unanimous consent request before
the Senator from New York speaks.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Nevada.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
stand in recess between 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. today; that no
amendments or motions be in order with respect to the pending
resolution; that at 1:45 p.m. today, the joint resolution be read a
third time, and the Senate vote without any intervening action or
debate on passage of the joint resolution; that upon the completion of
that vote, the Senate stand in recess until 3 p.m.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the several
requests?
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Reserving the right to object.
[[Page S9288]]
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from California reserves the
right to object.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I would like to ask the Senator, will
we have opportunities to continue the line of speakers who were lined
up before the vote on the resolution?
Mr. REID. I say to my friend from California that the leader, the two
leaders have said that anyone who wants to speak on this resolution
throughout the day should be able to do so. There are some schedules
that have to be met, especially by the Senators from New York. They
need to return to their State. We need to get the vote out of the way.
There will be added opportunity to speak.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the several
requests?
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Further reserving the right to object, if I
understand, then, the vote will be at 1:45, the Senate will go into
recess until 3, and then the floor will be open to continue; is that
correct?
Mr. REID. The Senator is right.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I thank the Chair.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection to the several
requests?
Mr. WARNER. Reserving the right to object, could I ask the
leadership, are we not, as a body, all 100 cosponsors? Has that
parliamentary step been taken? If not, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members of this body be cosponsors of the resolution.
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Under the previous order, the Senator from New York, the junior
Senator, Mrs. Clinton, is recognized for not to exceed 10 minutes.
Mrs. CLINTON. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank my colleagues for
their outpouring of support, their concerns, and their many offers of
additional aid that has come to the rescue of our people as a result of
this devastating tragedy.
Yesterday dawned a beautiful day in New York. My daughter told me it
was one of those days where the sky was totally clear, there was a
breeze, people were starting to line up at the polling places to vote
because it was primary day, an election day, a continuation of the
commitment to democracy and self-government that has set us apart from
every society that has ever existed because of the longevity of our
democracy and the will of our people to constantly renew themselves.
New Yorkers went from standing in line to vote to standing in line to
donate blood in just a few hours. I do not think any of us will ever
get out of our minds the images we saw on television of the plane going
into the first tower, the plane going into the second tower, and the
plane going into the Pentagon, but there were tens of thousands of our
fellow Americans, people who live in New York, New Jersey, and
Connecticut, people literally from every part of our country and,
indeed, the world for whom this was not an event they watched in horror
on television but lived through and in too many instances did not
survive.
We are beginning to find out what that was like. Chuck and I have a
lot of friends who worked in those towers, who worked in the center,
and worked nearby. We are hearing the stories of husbands and wives
grabbing cell phones and calling home to say: I love you; goodbye.
We know, and I assure every person in this body, in the House, and
many, many of our fellow citizens, when we finally know the names of
those killed and injured, they will know someone.
This was an attack on New York, but it was really an attack on
America. I have been very gratified, as I know that Chuck has and all
of our colleagues in the House, by the strong support we have received
from the President. I am very grateful. We have expressed our
appreciation.
Chuck and I will be going to New York this afternoon with FEMA, and
we could not ask for more than we have received in the immediate
aftermath of this horrific attack.
We are by no means anywhere near the end of what it will take to
continue the search and rescue efforts. We are finding people even as
we speak. Yet we know there is a very grim task ahead to do everything
we can to find every person, to account for every single person who
went to work. That is all they did. They went to work on a beautiful
September day in New York.
We will also stand united behind our President as he and his advisers
plan the necessary actions to demonstrate America's resolve and
commitment, not only to seek out an exact punishment on the
perpetrators but to make very clear that not only those who harbor
terrorists but those who in any way give any aid or comfort whatsoever
will now face the wrath of our country.
I hope that message has gotten through to everywhere it needs to be
heard: You are either with America in our time of need or you are not.
We also stand united behind our resolve, as this resolution so
clearly states, to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of these tragic
acts. New York was not an accidental choice for these mad men, these
terrorists, these instruments of evil.
They deliberately chose to strike at a city which is a global city.
It is the city of the 21st century. It epitomizes who we are as
Americans. So this in a very real sense was an attack on America, on
our values, on our power, on who we are as a people. I know, because I
know America, that America will stand behind New York, that America
will offer whatever resources, aid, comfort, or support that New
Yorkers and New York require because the greatest rebuke we can offer
to those who attack our way of life is to demonstrate clearly we are
not cowed in any way whatsoever.
I hope that within a short period of time, I say to Senator Warner,
we see scaffolding on the side of the Pentagon. After we finish the
search and rescue and recovery work that is being carried out
heroically there, I hope we all see a clear signal that we are
rebuilding, that our defenses are more resolute than ever.
I hope similarly that lower Manhattan has the same kind of image to
project because the reality will be that we are rebuilding and
reconstructing and making clear that just as our military might is
unchallenged and uncowed, so are our economic, our social, our
political values epitomized by New York.
I have expressed my strong support for the President, not only as the
Senator from New York but as someone who for 8 years had some sense of
the burdens and responsibilities that fall on the shoulders of the
human being we make our President. It is an awesome and at oftentimes
awful responsibility for any person. I know we are up to it, I know we
are ready for it, and I know that everyone in this body represents
every American in making clear that we are united and stronger than
ever.
It is with a heavy heart--really a sense of heartbreak--that I rise
today in support of this resolution, but it is also with a great sense
of pride, first in the people of New York who responded as New Yorkers
always do when times get tough. There was not a sense of panic. There
was order, and there was an immediate outpouring of help. Those men and
women whom we sent in to rescue our fellow Americans--there is no way
adequately to express our gratitude to our firefighters, our police
officers, our emergency personnel, our doctors and nurses and medical
personnel. They responded at the height of a tragic, unexpected attack
with the kind of grit and courage we expect from New Yorkers.
To all of those who are missing a loved one, there are no words any
of us can express except to tell you in the clearest possible terms: We
will in a united American response support you, offer assistance to
you, stand with you, and pursue those who reached deep into your
families and homes yesterday and took someone you loved away from you.
There will be a lot of work ahead of us in this body and in the
House, and we will pursue that. I am grateful for the support we have
received. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Nelson of Florida). The Senator from
Delaware, the manager of the resolution.
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