[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 105 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LET FREEDOM RING

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, today my colleague from the 3rd district of 
California, the Honorable Doug Ose and I ask all our colleagues to join 
us in a special commemoration of the tragic events of September 11, 
2001. On September 11, 2004, as part of the ``Let Freedom Ring--Bells 
Across America'' remembrance, participating churches across the nation 
will, beginning at noon, toll four bells at one-minute intervals to 
honor those who perished on the four hijacked commercial aircrafts on 
September 11, 2001. On the fifth minute, a chorus of bells will be 
played to recognize and pay tribute to the countless people whose lives 
were greatly affected by the events of 9/11. As the churches of the 
Sacramento Region join together to remember one of the most tragic days 
in our nation's history, we ask all our colleagues to join us in the 
``Let Freedom Ring--Bells Across America'' remembrance.
  The ``Let Freedom Ring--Bells Across America'' remembrance is the 
brainchild of Mr. Stu Varner, a resident of the Sacramento Region. Like 
millions of his fellow Americans, Mr. Varner was greatly affected by 
the catastrophic series of attacks that occurred at New York City, the 
Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Varner held a deep 
conviction that those who lost their lives on 9/11 should never be 
forgotten, and that they should be properly recognized as heroes. Mr. 
Varner believed that September 11 should be a day of somber and serious 
reflection much like Memorial Day and Veterans Day. As a result, Mr. 
Varner developed the idea of the ``Let Freedom Ring--Bells Across 
America'' remembrance. Mr. Varner wishes that the synchronistic ringing 
of bells by churches across America will help create a wave of 
remembrance for the thousands who lost their lives and the many more 
whose lives were drastically affected as a result of 9/11.
  Mr. Speaker, as the churches of the Sacramento Region participate in 
the ``Let Freedom Ring--Bells Across America'' remembrance, my 
colleague Mr. Doug Ose and I are honored to pay our respect and tribute 
to the innocent people whose lives were prematurely cut short or 
greatly altered by the 9/11 tragedy. We ask our colleagues to join us 
in remembering the tragic events of September 11, 2001 by participating 
in the ``Let Freedom Ring--Bells Across America'' remembrance.

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