[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 120 (Friday, September 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H5637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN FULL SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT BUSH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I have, as a Member of this 
body, not been one who frequently seeks the microphone or comes to this 
well of the House on any and all topics. Instead, I have attempted many 
times to offer measured comments here based upon what I feel strongly 
about.
  Last Wednesday evening, at about 11:10 p.m., I came to the well of 
this House, like so many Members of this institution, to state my 
outrage over what had happened on Tuesday morning beginning at about 
8:45. I pledged on that occasion my support for President Bush during 
this national crisis; and at this grave moment in our history, I think 
I at that time spoke for all Americans when I said we stood together in 
support of our commander in chief just as we did on behalf of those 
brave firemen, policemen and policewomen, and the citizenry of New York 
and Washington, D.C., and our military forces as well.
  I call attention to that simply to point out that in the strongest 
possible terms I condemned the unimaginable and unprecedented terrorist 
attacks that had taken place in New York City and Washington, D.C. on 
that morning. In the wonderful epic that de Tocqueville wrote, simply 
entitled ``America,'' he asked what it was that had set the American 
people apart from the rest of the world. And he suggested, after having 
difficulty coming up with a term, it was simply a habit of the heart.
  In what has represented the most serious act of aggression on 
American soil, a nameless and faceless enemy launched an assault on the 
very foundation of our society and, indeed, upon the manner in which we 
live. There is no body in America that is more representative than this 
institution of its people. It was my belief then and my belief now, as 
I had rallied to President Bush, Sr.'s support, President Clinton's 
support in perilous moments, now the consistent thing to do would be to 
support President Bush, the Republican and Democratic leadership in 
this institution, as we sought and continue to seek to reassure the 
American people about events of the last few days and, indeed, just as 
importantly, over events of the next few weeks, months, and, I frankly 
believe, years.
  These are moments when we come to the conclusion that old quotation 
that America offers unity without uniformity; free to be of different 
backgrounds and religions and persuasions and hold strong and differing 
political views. But on occasions like this we stand firm in our 
resolve to support our President and the brave men and women of the 
United States Armed Forces as they prepare, with our support, a clear 
and decisive response against those who perpetrated these unspeakable 
acts.
  Those are the comments that I offered on Wednesday night, and there 
is nothing that has happened during these 48 hours that would have 
caused me to change my mind. Indeed, my resolve, like the resolve of 
the American people, as we have witnessed this horror, has only been 
stiffened. And I would suggest that all Americans, regardless of 
political philosophy, political party, or political persuasion intend 
to stand shoulder to shoulder in our effort to seek out those who would 
cause such destruction, anguish, and pain upon a free people.
  There will be plenty of time in weeks and months and years again down 
the road to review the decisions that we have made during these days; 
but let no one mistake the resolve that I feel as a Member of this 
body, or as a citizen of this Nation, or those who stand with me in 
this institution in our support of President Bush and, again, our 
military as we seek answers across the globe.

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