[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 11 AS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2007

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, on this sixth anniversary of the terrorist 
attacks of September 11, 2001, we, as a nation, honor the memories of 
the nearly 3,000 Americans who were killed on that tragic day. However, 
honoring their memories requires more of us than simply remembering and 
celebrating the lives of the victims of those horrific acts of 
violence. To truly honor their memories we, as a nation, must recommit 
ourselves to ensuring that such acts never happen again.
  The House of Representatives stepped up to meet this challenge by 
passing a sweeping security bill within the first 100 hours of the new 
Congress and ushering it into law on August 3, 2007. This 9/11 bill 
finally enacts the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission 
2\1/2\ years after they were made and 6 years after the terrorist 
attacks. This comprehensive legislation is long overdue but will make 
our Nation stronger, our cities and towns more secure, and our families 
safer.
  Six years after the attacks of September 11, America's coastal cities 
are still dangerously vulnerable to a devastating attack. A nuclear 
weapon smuggled into the port of a large U.S. city could kill millions. 
However, only 5 percent of U.S.-bound containers are scanned before 
they leave overseas ports. The 9/11 bill makes millions of Americans 
safer by requiring that 100 percent of U.S.-bound seaborne containers 
are scanned before leaving foreign ports within 5 years.
  Six years after the attacks on September 11, millions of American air 
travelers remain at risk because almost 3 million tons of air cargo 
that is transported each year on passenger airplanes remains 
unscreened. This is outrageous. The 9/11 bill ensures better protection 
for American families by mandating that 100 percent of cargo on all 
aircrafts undergo screening within 3 years.
  Six years after the attacks on September 11, it is shameful that most 
first responders across the country, including those in Los Angeles, 
still do not have the critical communications equipment necessary to do 
their jobs effectively. The 9/11 bill finally makes first responders a 
priority, ensuring that they get the interoperable communications 
equipment they require by creating a stand-alone grant program at the 
Department of Homeland Security, authorized at $400 million a year.
  A comprehensive approach to ensuring homeland security, the 9/11 bill 
takes many critical steps that are necessary to keep America more 
secure from terrorist attacks. These include:
  Authorizing over $4 billion to improve rail and mass transit security 
over the next 4 years;
  Ensuring that high-risk areas receive adequate homeland security 
funding;
  Aggressively preventing terrorist travel;
  Adequately funding important programs that prevent terrorists from 
acquiring WMD;
  Better protecting our critical infrastructure and;
  Strengthening intelligence and information sharing with local law 
enforcement.
  The 9/11 bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation 
enacted by the new Congress. Long overdue, this bill better protects 
America from the threat of terrorism by finally enacting the 
recommendations made by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission a full 2\1/2\ 
years after they were issued. Now, Congress owes it to the American 
people to perform strong oversight over the Department of Homeland 
Security to make certain that it implements the bill's critical 
provisions. On this anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the 
American people have the commitment of the new Congress to take 
whatever steps necessary to further protect our country.

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