[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 130 (Tuesday, September 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

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                               speech of

                           HON. TAMMY BALDWIN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2009

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise on the eighth anniversary of 
September 11th to commemorate this momentous day in American history. 
My heart goes out to the thousands of innocent people who were taken 
from their loved ones and fellow citizens, and I am mindful of the many 
sacrifices made by the members of our armed forces and their families 
as they stand in harm's way to protect our great nation.
  The victims of the September 11th attacks were a microcosm of 
America. In the Twin Towers, on the hijacked planes, at the Pentagon, 
there were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, 
friends; there were millionaire bond traders and minimum wage busboys; 
there were service men and women, police officers and firefighters; 
there were people of every race and religion, from dozens of countries, 
all with their own dreams and disappointments; all bound by an 
invisible thread . . . our common humanity. And we are forever bound to 
them, and to each other.
  September 11th, 2001 was one of our nation's darkest days. But it 
illuminated some simple and important truths . . . that it means 
something special to be an American--something more than the 
happenstance of where you were born. It relates to the unending quest 
on the part of ``we the people'' to ``form a more perfect union'' and 
to a concept of the common good. Being an American means having a 
commitment to our collective well-being.
  In memory of all those who perished on September 11th, in respect to 
the survivors, in gratitude to the rescuers, and for the sake of 
ourselves and our posterity, I recall the words of President Kennedy: 
``Let us not be blind to our differences--but let us also direct 
attention to our common interests and to the means by which those 
differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, 
at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the 
final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this 
small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our 
children's future. And we are all mortal.''
  Mr. Speaker, during the vote on H. Res. 722, a resolution expressing 
the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist 
attacks launched against the U.S. on September 11th, 2001, I was absent 
from the House. I want my colleagues and constituents of the 2nd 
District of Wisconsin to know that I intended to vote yes on this 
resolution. I am grateful to my colleagues, Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Boehner, 
for their work in seeing it passed.

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