[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 124 (Thursday, September 26, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1659-E1660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    REMARKS DELIVERED ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2002

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, we come here today, as one community, to 
reflect on the events of September 11, 2001. On that terrible day, a 
group of evil men murdered more than 3,000 innocent American men, 
women, and children—here on American soil—as their co-
conspirators attempted to kill thousands more.
  Today, we still mourn the loss of our fellow citizens: those trying 
to reach safety and those who deliberately placed themselves in harms 
way (who saved literally tens of thousands of their fellow Americans in 
the process). We will also never forget those who were injured and who 
are still suffering from the wounds, physical and emotional, that were 
inflicted upon them. We will never forget the heroism and sacrifice of 
those—many of whom are with us today—who responded 
immediately and selflessly, who prevented a terrible ordeal from being 
even worse.
  While we will always continue to remember what happened, we must also 
continue our nation's effort to bring to justice and punish those who 
perpetrated these terrible acts and those who are planning new ones. 
Government's first priority is, after all, to protect the people, and 
as your representative in Congress, I assure you that Congress is 
working to see that our government meets our country's needs for our 
homeland security and for our national defense: from strengthening our 
borders, to improving law enforcement and intelligence capabilities, to 
ensuring that our military is fighting with superior forces and 
weapons. We never forget that we Americans depend on our government to 
protect us.
  We are forever grateful to the men and women in law enforcement and 
in our armed forces, here and around the world, who put their lives at 
risk so that we may keep our country and her people safe and free.
  Is America a perfect nation? Are we as individuals perfect people? 
No, America is not perfect, and none of us has ever met a perfect 
person. But what we have in America is the greatest nation the world 
has ever known—a country committed to freedom, democracy, and 
equal justice under the law. An imperfect country, but one whose 
principles of freedom of speech and expression allow us and even demand 
us to continually seek to make our

[[Page E1660]]

nation more perfect in its realization of our founding principles. We 
are still the shining beacon of hope and liberty for every nation in 
the world and every man, woman, and child on this planet.
  Finally, we must always remember that in our 226 year history, 
America has prevailed over many more powerful enemies than the ones we 
face today. It took the lives and sacrifices of countless numbers of 
Americans. It took money. It took time. It took patience. And it took 
perseverance. But we prevailed. Make no mistake about it, my fellow 
Americans, America will prevail again today.
  God bless you, my friends, and God bless the United States of 
America.

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