[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING BEVERLY ECKERT FOR 9/11 VICTIMS WORK

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 2009

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. 
Res. 201, which recognizes the life of Beverly Eckert, a co-founder of 
``Voices of September 11th'' and the widow of Sean Rooney, who was 
killed in the Twin Towers on September 11th.
  Ms. Eckert worked tirelessly for ``Voices of September 11th,'' an 
advocacy and support group of widows, mothers, and children of the 
victims of 9/11, which served as a driving force for intelligence and 
homeland security in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. 
After the attacks, Beverly Eckert focused all of her emotions into 
organized advocacy for government accountability and future 
transparency to make our Nation more secure. Ms. Eckert was faced with 
opposition and indifference, but she continued to press forward in her 
fact-finding and preventative efforts.
  Her strong, constant voice led to the creation of the National 
Commission on Terrorists Attack Upon the United States--or the 9/11 
Commission. After the Commission's formation, Eckert continued her 
mission by participating in hearings and demanding implementation of 
the Commission's recommendations. During testimony as a member of the 
9/11 Commission's Family Steering Committee, Eckert praised the 
Commission for their efforts to completely inform the public as to the 
failures on September 11th through public hearings and reports. She 
also warned Congressional members and the White House in regards to the 
Commission's recommendations that, unlike other commission 
recommendations, implementation of 9/11 Commission recommendations 
would be necessary because ``there is no shelf on which they can be 
hidden.'' To that end she successfully pushed for the passage of the 
``Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.''
  In conclusion, Beverly Eckert was a tenacious citizen who nudged and 
prodded the leaders of this Nation to look at their mistakes and 
implement the steps to correct them. Ms. Eckert was not interested in 
partisanship, fear-mongering, or saber-rattling. She was a woman who 
made sure that the death of her husband and those who died on September 
11th would not be in vain. In that process, she reinforced the message 
that you can make a difference and that we, as a nation, should not 
give into the fear of terrorism.
  I urge my colleagues to support the resolution and formally recognize 
Ms. Beverly Eckert for her continued work to ensure that the victims 
and families of the September 11th attacks are never forgotten and to 
ensure that our country is protected from such attacks in the future.

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