[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 111 (Thursday, September 8, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H7774-H7777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RELATING TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 427) relating to the terrorist attacks against the
United States on September 11, 2001.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 427
Whereas on September 11, 2001, while Americans were
attending to their daily routines, terrorists hijacked four
civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into the towers of
the World Trade Center in New York City, and a third into the
Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a fourth was prevented
from also being used as a weapon against America by brave
passengers who placed their country above their own lives;
Whereas four years later the country continues to, and
shall forever, mourn the tragic loss of life at the hands of
terrorist attackers;
Whereas by targeting symbols of American strength and
success, these attacks clearly were intended to assail the
principles, values, and freedoms of the United States and the
American people, intimidate the Nation, and weaken the
national resolve;
Whereas four years after September 11, 2001, the United
States is fighting a Global War on Terrorism to protect
America and her friends and allies;
Whereas recent deadly attacks in London, Madrid, and Sharm
el-Sheik, Egypt, remind all Americans that the forces of evil
that attacked the Nation four years ago remain committed to
terrorist attacks against free peoples;
Whereas because of the skill and bravery of the members of
the United States Armed Forces and due to the constant
vigilance of our Nation's first responders, the United States
homeland has not been successfully attacked by terrorist
forces during the four years since September 11, 2001; and
Whereas while the passage of four years has not softened
the memory of the American people, resolved their grief, or
restored lost loved ones, it has shown that Americans will
not bow to terrorists: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) extends again its deepest sympathies to the thousands
of innocent victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks, their families, friends, and loved ones;
(2) honors the heroic actions and the sacrifices of United
States military and civilian personnel and their families who
have sacrificed much, including their lives and health, in
defense of their country in the the Global War on Terrorism;
(3) honors the heroic actions of first responders, law
enforcement personnel, State and local officials, volunteers,
and others who aided the innocent victims and, in so doing,
bravely risked their own lives and long-term health;
(4) expresses thanks and gratitude to the foreign leaders
and citizens of all nations who have assisted and continue to
stand in solidarity with the United States against terrorism
in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks;
(5) discourages, in the strongest possible terms, any
effort to confuse the Global War on Terrorism with a war on
any people or any faith;
(6) reaffirms its commitment to the Global War on Terrorism
and to providing the United States Armed Forces with the
resources and support to wage it effectively and safely;
(7) vows that it will continue to take whatever actions
necessary to identify, intercept, and disrupt terrorists and
their activities; and
(8) reaffirms that the American people will never forget
the sacrifices made on September 11, 2001, and will never bow
to terrorist demands.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).
General Leave
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Iowa?
There was no objection.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, our deliberations today have focused, and rightly so, on
the catastrophe that has befallen the people of the gulf coast and our
efforts and, indeed, the world's efforts, to ameliorate their
situation. We should, however, pause and take note of a somber
anniversary, the fourth anniversary of the attacks of September 11,
2001, which will occur this weekend.
I appreciate the fact that the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman
Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Ranking Member Lantos) have
worked out a text to recognize this anniversary which incorporated
language from the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle), and that
the House leadership has encouraged us to bring it to the floor in a
timely manner.
One year ago, we were involved in the middle stages of the efforts to
pass the intelligence reform legislation recommended by the 9/11
Commission. Now we must oversee the implementation of that law and
determine what additional improvements to our government's structures
or substantive policies need to be made.
The resolution before us recalls the events of nearly 4 years ago,
notes that the attacks were intended to assail our principles, values,
and freedoms, and weaken our national resolve. It recalls
[[Page H7775]]
our worldwide efforts against terrorism and notes that those who have
attacked us in New York, at the Pentagon, and in the skies over
Pennsylvania have continued their efforts in London, Madrid, and Sharm
el-Sheik, although they have thus far been prevented from successfully
again carrying their fight to our homeland.
It is time to again extend our sympathies to the families and the
victims, to salute those who placed themselves in harm's way, often at
the risk of their lives, and to honor those who are involved in the
struggle against terror. We state that this struggle is not a struggle
against any people or faith. We assert that we will continue to do
whatever is necessary to identify, intercept, and disrupt terrorists
and their activities, and that we will neither forget the sacrifices of
September 11 nor ever yield to terrorists and their ideologies.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, as our Nation came to recognize the
magnitude of the struggle we were starting in earnest against the
enemies of tolerance and progress, we had the most sobering and moving
debate that I witnessed on the floor of this Chamber in the quarter
century I have had the privilege of serving as a Member. That debate
resounds even today, as Congress continues to muster the resources and
to rally our compatriots to carry on in the ongoing war on terrorism.
{time} 1400
With this fourth anniversary of the terrorist mass murder of
September 11, we honor the victims, we honor the heroes, and we
contemplate the lessons. We are still engaged in the global battle
against terrorism. We have made progress, but we are a long way from
victory.
Indeed, this point has been brought home to us and to civilized
people everywhere yet again these past few months. On July 7, suicide
bombers attacked the London subway and bus system, killing 52 people
and injuring scores more. Two weeks later, another attempt on London's
public transportation system created panic. And just 2 days after that,
more than 80 people were killed in a series of terrorist attacks at the
Egyptian resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh, not far from the Egyptian
resort where over 30 people were killed a few months earlier in a
similar terrorist bombing. And let us not forget that Israel, our only
democratic ally in the Middle East, has been a longtime victim of
terrorist attacks; and it continues to be the target of extremist
Islamic violence.
Our hearts go out to the families of the victims who continue to be
senselessly maimed and slaughtered in such vicious attacks of global
terrorism.
And so the struggle goes on. We may differ about specific tactics,
but I think all Americans agree on at least one broad goal: we must do
all we can to assure that terrorists do not acquire weapons of mass
destruction, particularly nuclear weapons. As we know from the events 4
years ago, they would not hesitate to use such horrendous weapons
against us or against the innocent people of any other country on this
globe.
To prevent that unthinkable atrocity, the United States must do all
it can to prevent state sponsors of terrorism from acquiring weapons of
mass destruction. We have achieved a remarkable success in convincing
the Government of Libya to voluntarily abandon its pursuit of such
weapons, but the threat that Iran and North Korea may acquire nuclear
weapons is one of the most serious issues facing our Nation.
Teheran's ayatollahs have consistently supported terrorist groups
that have shown no reluctance to use every weapon available to them in
order to create mayhem in their fanatical zeal to destroy those
standing in their way. Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran could end
up in the hands of terrorists.
At the same time, we must find innovative ways to carry on this
global struggle against terrorism so that it becomes not a war in a
conventional sense, but a united worldwide effort to eliminate the
conditions that give rise to terrorism.
This is as much a battle of ideas as a battle against armies. The
extremists and their protectors fear the freedom that we cherish. They
seek to destroy it wherever it thrives. The war on terrorism is a
common struggle among all democracies to preserve democracy itself, and
we can only achieve true victory in this epic struggle when we bring
democracy to all the corners of the globe. This means encouraging
democracy and respect for human rights in places where they have not
taken root, and where terrorists breed in the darkest corners of Egypt
and Saudi Arabia, and many other places throughout the world.
Mr. Speaker, the struggle against terrorism goes on, 4 years after
our Nation awakened to the urgency of this fight. But let us ensure
that the soul searching and resilience that marked our deliberations in
September 2001 do not merely echo in this Chamber today. Let the debate
instead be amplified and our convictions deepened as we recommit to the
fight against fanatical Islamic terrorists capable of perpetrating such
an atrocity.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, September 6 of 2002,
before a commemorative joint meeting of Congress at Federal Hall in New
York City, the then poet laureate of the United States, Billy Collins,
dedicated the following poem to the victims and survivors of the
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The poem was called ``The
Names,'' and I would like to read it:
``I lay awake in the palm of the night. A soft rain stole in,
unhelped by any breeze, and when I saw the silver glaze on the windows,
I started with A, with Ackerman, as it happened, then Baxter and
Calabro, Davis and Eberling, names falling into place as droplets fell
through the dark. Names printed on the ceiling of the night. Names
slipping around a watery bend. Twenty-six willows on the banks of a
stream.
``In the morning, I walked barefoot among thousands of flowers, heavy
with dew like the eyes of tears, and each had a name: Fiori inscribed
on a yellow petal, then Gonzalez and Han, Ishikawa and Jenkins. Names
written in the air and stitched into the cloth of the day. A name under
a photograph taped to a mailbox. Monogram on a torn shirt, I see you
spelled out on storefront windows and on the bright unfurled awnings of
the city.
``I say the syllables as I turn a corner: Kelly and Lee, Medina,
Nardella, and O'Connor. When I peer into the woods, I see a thick
tangle where letters are hidden as in a puzzle concocted for children.
Parker and Quigley in the twigs of an ash, Rizzo, Schubert, Torres and
Upton, secrets in the boughs of an ancient maple. Names written in the
pale sky. Names rising in the updraft amid buildings. Names silent in
stone or cried out behind a door. Names blown over the Earth and out to
sea.
``In the evening: weakening light, the last swallows. A boy on a lake
lifts his oars. A woman by a window puts a match to a candle, and the
names are outlined on the rose clouds: Vanacore and Wallace, let X
stand, if it can, for the ones unfound. Then Young and Ziminsky, the
final jolt of Z. Names etched on the head of a pin. One name spanning a
bridge, another undergoing a tunnel. A blue name needled into the skin.
Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers, the bright-eyed
daughter, the quick son.
``Alphabet of names in a green field. Names in the small tracks of
birds. Names lifted from a hat or balanced on the tip of the tongue.
Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory. So many names, there is
barely room on the walls of the heart.''
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we remember 9/11,
the victims, the aftermath of 9/11 and the policies which have been put
in place as a result of that day of great tragedy. It is also
appropriate that our remembering not be selective so as to preclude
America from taking a path of truth and reconciliation.
Immediately after the attacks upon our Nation, all across the world
people responded in solidarity with America,
[[Page H7776]]
much as we are seeing at this moment in response to the unfortunate
disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The world is always ready to embrace
America and to share in our highest aspirations.
Unfortunately, sadly, decisions were made by some in the
administration to use 9/11 as an opportunity to advance a longstanding
ideological desire, with financial incentives to invade Iraq and
overthrow its government.
Whenever we remember 9/11, and we should, we must also remember that
some in the administration used 9/11 as an excuse to wage an illegal
war against a nation that did not attack us, that had nothing to do
with 9/11, that did not have the capability or the intention of
attacking us, and that had no weapons of mass destruction.
9/11 could never be justified, nor should any attack upon this Nation
ever be justified. But I think America lost a moment after 9/11 to come
together as a national community in search of ways that we could take
new directions to meet an emerging challenge of terrorism with new
strategies, new initiatives, because we are learning the limitations of
trying to solve our difficulties through armed force.
9/11 was a tragedy, and it was compounded by the war in and against
Iraq. That war has separated us from many of our friends in the
international community. It has drained our resources. It has cost us
the lives of over 1,900 American servicemen, servicewomen, and has cost
the lives of countless Iraqis who are innocent.
We need to heal our Nation. We need to come together as Americans so
that we can assert our commonalities, our common interests in the
general welfare of our countrymen and countrywomen. But in order to do
that, we need to go back through that tunnel of 9/11, and the only way
we can do that is to be guided by truth.
We still need to heal the Nation, but we will not be able to do it
with arms. We can only do it by seeking the truth. And I contend that
at this moment, when we stand united to pass this resolution, that we
should also highly resolve that violence is not going to be the means
that we use in the future to solve the differences that we have with
nations.
Next week, Members of this House will come together to introduce
legislation to create a Cabinet-level Department of Peace and
Nonviolence, which recognizes that the path of peace can be active, can
be firm, can have resolve, and can help us achieve a new world.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, our Nation suffered the worst
attack in our history, and Americans were forever transformed. What
happened on September 11 was not simply an attack against America, it
was an assault on our democracy. In the immediate aftermath, we saw
Americans overcome grief and devastation to demonstrate that the values
that unite us are greater and more enduring than anything that divides
us.
That is what we do again today. This week, we come together in the
spirit of unity and accord to memorialize the people lost and the
families shattered on 9/11, in public ceremonies and private
remembrances. I hope that it offers a small sense of comfort to those
who lost loved ones and those who were injured in the attacks, that so
many people in our country and throughout the world remember their loss
and their suffering and continue to pray for them.
But the best memorial we can offer to the victims of 9/11 is not
words, but deeds. We must bring a laser-like focus to our
responsibility to make America safer. The threat that we did not
recognize clearly enough 4 years ago confronts us still. The need to be
prepared, as Hurricane Katrina so clearly showed, is one of our most
critical responsibilities.
Four years after the attacks, Americans have to ask: has enough
progress been made? The answer, sadly, is no. Security at our ports, on
commercial airliners, on our transit systems, and along our borders has
not been a priority. Our first responders still do not have the ability
to communicate quickly and effectively.
September 11 is hallowed ground, and the actions of this Congress
must be guided by that recognition. Our debates, our votes, our laws,
must be worthy of the sacrifice that was made on that day. And so, in
the name of the victims, we pledge again today: united as a country, we
will seek to keep alive the indomitable American spirit that was
displayed on September 11, and keep Americans safe from harm.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 has been
seared in our Nation's consciousness forever. On this fourth
anniversary of the attack on our Nation, I want to take this
opportunity to remember the brave men and women who lost their lives at
the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a deserted field in the
Pennsylvania countryside. That day, 3,000 Americans died at the hands
of terrorists who would see our country destroyed. These fellow
citizens were casualties in our Nation's continuing effort to maintain
liberty, safety, and freedom for all Americans.
While we suffered a grievous loss that day, we must remember that we
are a strong and determined Nation that will defeat those who would
harm us. We join together to make it clear to the world that our Nation
is united and resolved to defend our freedom against any enemy.
Today, we stop to remember those who perished on 9/11 and to remember
their families with a special prayer. We also pause to reflect on the
heroism of the firefighters, police officers and city officials who
died in the line of duty trying to save others. Each of us is
personally affected by September 11. While we might not know anyone
personally who died, we still grieve for them. And we hold the members
of their families close to our hearts.
Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H. Res. 427.
I cannot vote for a resolution supporting a ``global war on
terrorism'' because there is no such thing. The only war the United
States is engaged in is the misguided Iraq War. To support a resolution
simply so President Bush can continue to carry out actions in the name
of this false global war of terrorism only encourages this
Administration to lead this country into additional unnecessary
military actions.
Instead of honoring the victims of 9/11 and their families, this
resolution only encourages the President to sacrifice more American
lives for wars that have nothing to do with terrorism or the events of
that tragic day.
When the House leadership presents a resolution that truly honors the
victims of 9/11, I will vote for it. Until that happens, I urge my
fellow Members of Congress to vote against this resolution and others
that endorse President Bush's misguided foreign policies.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the
fourth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and to
remember those who lost their lives that day, especially the residents
of Connecticut and of my district.
As each year passes, it becomes even more important for us to
remember the victims who died on September 11, 2001 and honor those who
continue to serve as the Nation's first lines of defense against acts
of terrorism and disaster. Their memory should keep us vigilant against
threats and thankful for the many blessings we have as citizens of this
Nation.
We thank the selfless firefighters, police officers, and emergency
medical workers who confronted chaos and terror 4 years ago and lost
their lives trying to save their fellow Americans in New York,
Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon. This reminder is all too vivid in the
wake of the recent tragedy on the Gulf Coast caused by Hurricane
Katrina. Some of the very same first responders who assisted in the
time following the terrorist attacks are down in Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Alabama helping those families rebuild their lives. We
owe them our eternal gratitude for their service and compassion.
However, as we have seen in the Gulf Coast states, we still have much
work to do to respond to threats, both from terrorists and nature. We
must focus our resources as a nation to ensure that first responders
can act rapidly and communicate seemlessly with Federal, State, and
local officials.
Terrorists still remain a threat to our Nation and other free and
democratic societies. We were all shocked and saddened by the bombings
in London on July 7, 2005. The images we saw in London that day were
all too familiar to the images we will never forget from 4 years ago.
Our deepest sympathies went out to our friends in Great Britain who
have stood so strongly by the United States in our war on terror. These
bombings and the memories of September 11 further strengthen our
convictions to defeat terror throughout the world.
As Congress works to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act, our immediate
response to the terrorist events that stunned our Nation, we must learn
from the subsequent 4 years that have passed. To curtail the freedoms
of Americans in the name of fighting our enemies would be a disservice
to the memory of September 11 and every American who has given their
life or put themselves in harm's way to defend this Nation and its
people.
As we pause to reflect this September 11 and remember those whose
lives were lost that day, let us also remember the things that make our
Nation great: our freedom, our liberty and our democracy. These
memories will give us the will to be better citizens and build a
stronger nation.
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, today we remember the victims of one
tragedy as we work to help the survivors of another.
[[Page H7777]]
In my district and in the State of New Jersey, we know the experience
of tragedy personally and the sympathy of those in New Jersey extends
at the deepest level to those who lived through Hurricane Katrina.
Four years ago on September 11th, 700 of our friends and neighbors
from my state of New Jersey never returned home from work and never
returned to their families. The smoking ruins of the Twin Towers were
visible for my entire district to see and many of the police and
emergency response people that responded so heroically to the attacks
were from New Jersey.
I can't tell you how many memorial services I attended for people in
my own district, nor describe in words the sympathy and sorrow I felt
for family members who lost loved ones from all over the country.
That is why I committed that very day to taking every action to make
sure that our Nation and her citizens never have to go through what we
did on that terrible day four years ago. And since we know the enemy
seeks to attack again, I have worked to ensure that our country is as
prepared as we can be for a future attack and ready to respond once it
does occur.
That is also why I support this resolution as an expression of my
deepest sympathy to families and friends of the thousands of victims of
that fateful day.
I support it as an expression of our Nation's gratitude and pride in
our men and women in uniform who have performed with brilliance and
valor in the war on terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom. To date, almost
1,900 Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in support of our
country, in Iraq, while many others have done so around the world in
the fight against terror.
For me personally, I cannot walk outside into a crystal, clear,
cloudless blue sky in September like we have today without remembering
the very same sky on that tragic day in September. I cannot walk
outside remembering the contrast between the beauty of that sky and the
terror which came from it.
To those who survived and to the families who lost their loved ones,
I know that four years has not taken away the pain.
To those who survived and to the families, I know that you will have
to live with the consequences of that tragedy for the rest of your
lives.
To those who survived and to the families, I say that we will never
forget those innocent people who were murdered in cold blood and that
we honor you for your courage, your will to survive, and for the
strength you have shared with our Nation.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bass). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 427.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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