[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION REPORTS

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2007

  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, it is fitting that we are pausing to honor 
the memory of those who died on that terrible day and to reaffirm our 
commitment to bring to justice those who perpetrated these heinous 
acts. Today is also a time for us to remember that we can best honor 
those who perished by learning the right lessons from 9/11, including 
the heroes of United Flight 93 like Todd Beamer, whose actions that day 
prevented further loss of life in Washington, DC.
  Over the last 6 years, we have made it harder for the reconstituted 
al Qaeda to mount a similar operation against the United States. And 
last month, the Congress passed and the President signed into law a 
bill (H.R. 1) that will implement the balance of the 9/11 Commission's 
recommendations. These are tangible achievements, but we must guard 
against the kind of complacency and false sense of security that 
prevailed before the attacks on our Nation.
  Because al Qaeda's leadership--Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al 
Zawahiri--remains at large, America is still vulnerable to future al 
Qaeda attacks. Moreover, our involvement in Iraq has caused us to waste 
lives, resources, and time that should have been spent in finding and 
neutralizing bin Laden and Zawahiri, and dismantling the rest of their 
network. We know that our involvement in Iraq has made it harder for us 
to rally the world in the common struggle against al Qaeda and its 
murderous ideology. The sooner we disengage militarily from Iraq, the 
sooner we will be able to refocus ourselves and our allies on the 
larger and far more important struggle against bin Laden and those like 
him.
  We must also do what is necessary to care for the first responders of 
9/11--those who have developed debilitating illnesses as a result of 
their exposure to the multiple toxins unleashed in the aftermath of the 
attacks. I'm hopeful that a bill to provide for the long-term 
monitoring of affected first responders (H. Res. 128), offered by my 
colleague Representative Carolyn Maloney of New York, will be brought 
to the floor of the House for a vote very soon.
  Finally, we must ensure that America does whatever is necessary to 
take care of the men and women of our armed forces who are engaged in 
the hunt for our terrorist enemies. Traumatic brain injury, life-
changing physical wounds, and post-traumatic stress disorder are all 
conditions that are affecting veterans in record numbers. I'm gratified 
that this Congress has provided major funding increases to deal with 
the needs of the veterans, but we must do more than provide one-year 
increases in funding--we need to structurally increase the VA health 
care budget to cover these injuries and their treatment throughout the 
expected lifetimes of these veterans. To do less dishonors them and our 
Nation.
  Madam Speaker, as we mark this solemn day, let us remember that so 
long as we remain united as a people, we will weather this struggle 
successfully--just as we weathered the fights against fascism and 
communism in the last century.

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