[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 115 (Thursday, September 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1573]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF TERRORIST 
    ATTACKS LAUNCHED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

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                               speech of

                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September, 11, 2002

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, December 7, 1941 is the worst day in the 
history of our Republic in the 20th Century, and September 11, 2001 is 
the worst day in the history of our land of liberty in the 21st 
Century. Both days cost this nation thousands of lives; mothers, 
fathers, daughters, sons, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles 
and perished on these days because they were Americans. Their families 
and friends left behind have never been the same--nor will they ever be 
the same--and the same can be said for our nation.
  On both occasions these victims were victims because of what America 
stands for: liberty, freedom, justice, human rights, opportunity, and a 
faith in a caring and loving God. But out of this criminal act 
perpetrated upon the citizens of this nation and on this fortress of 
freedom that we call the United States of America, a fierce 
determination arose to destroy those forces of evil that without cause 
or warning attacked the U.S. We brought those that attacked us on 
December 7, 1941 to justice, and we are well on our way to bringing 
those who attacked us a year ago to the same fate. But today, September 
11, 2002, we stop to remember in a formal way the victims and their 
families who perished on these very, very dark days in our nation's 
history. Today we stop to honor them, remember them, pray for them, and 
rededicate ourselves to seeing to it that this never happens again in 
America or any place else in the world.

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