[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 126 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EDITORIAL IN THE JEFFERSON CITY NEWS TRIBUNE

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                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2001

  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to share with the Members of the 
House the excellent editorial in the Jefferson City News Tribune 
following Tuesday's horrific events. The fine statement is set forth as 
follows:

                         Americans Under Attack

       Abject honor does not begin to describe the reaction to 
     this morning's attack on New York City and Washington, D.C.
       Much remains unknown.
       What is certain, however, is that the attack was an act of 
     war on American people on American soil.
       At this juncture, we know that shortly before 9 a.m. EDT 
     today an American Airlines jet hijacked after take-off from 
     Boston, struck one of the twin towers at the World Trade 
     Center in lower Manhattan.
       Within minutes, a second airplane, also believed hijacked 
     from American Airlines, struck the trade center's second 
     tower.
       Both towers caught fire and subsequently collapsed in a 
     massive implosion of burning debris.
       Later this morning a commercial jetliner, also believed to 
     have been hijacked, crashed into the Pentagon in Washington 
     D.C. That was followed by a car bomb exploding outside the 
     State Department.
       In addition, another jetliner, possibly hijacked from 
     United Airlines, crashed outside Pittsburgh, PA.
       The death toll, although yet unknown, will be staggering. 
     The World Trade Center itself houses an estimated 50,000 
     employees, exceeding the population of Jefferson City.
       Passengers on the hijacked jet and other people on the 
     ground also have perished. In reaction, all flights in the 
     nation have been cancelled, key buildings have been evacuated 
     and the military has been placed on alert.
       The miscreants, presumably terrorists, who perpetrated 
     these malevolent attacks also remain unknown.
       They must be identified, and they and their ilk must be 
     exterminated like the vermin they have shown themselves to 
     be.
       America has been attacked mercilessly. To serve notice that 
     this must never happen again, our response must be equally 
     merciless.

     

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