[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 134 (Monday, September 12, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MARKING THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

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                           HON. LEONARD LANCE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 12, 2011

  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, the 21st Century began, for all intents and 
purposes, on September 11, 2001. It did not begin well.
  The war against terrorism is among the greatest public policy 
challenges of our generation. The deceased were casualties of war to 
the same extent as any person serving on the battlefield. But the 
terrorists made no distinction between members of the armed forces and 
civilians. The terrorists made no distinction between small children, 
infants and adults. They killed their victims at will.
  We in New Jersey lost roughly 700 people, second only to the state of 
New York. I stated on the floor of the New Jersey State Legislature 10 
years ago and I repeat here today on the floor of the United States 
House of Representatives that it will take the genius and the tenacity 
of a free society to overcome the scourge of terrorism, but overcome it 
we shall.
  We have made much progress in the last 10 years, but Mr. Speaker, 
more progress needs to be made.
  On December 8, 1941, speaking here in the house of the people, the 
House of Representatives, Franklin Roosevelt said famously that ``No 
matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, 
the American people in their righteous might will win through to 
absolute victory.''
  That is as true today regarding the war against terror. as it was 
when Franklin Roosevelt spoke it about World War II so many years ago.
  In one of the subsequent stanzas of ``America the Beautiful'' the 
author, Katherine Bates, wrote of ``Thine alabaster cities gleam, 
undimmed by human tears,'' but of course that is not true. Human tears 
are still shed based upon what happened on 9/11 and alabaster cities 
gleam not as brightly based upon the horrific acts of the terrorists.
  At the National Cathedral on September 14, 2001, the President of the 
United States, George W. Bush, said this: ``There are prayers that help 
us last through the day or endure the night. There are prayers of 
friends and strangers that give us strength for the journey, and there 
are prayers that yield our will to a will greater than our own. This 
world He created is of moral design. Grief and tragedy and hatred are 
only for a time. Goodness, remembrance and love have no end, and the 
Lord of life holds all who die and all who mourn.''
  The President went on to state at the conclusion of his remarks words 
that I believe are from the St. Paul's Epistle to Romans. The President 
said, ``As we have been assured, neither death nor life, nor angels nor 
principalities, nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor 
height nor death can separate us from God's love.''
  Mr. Speaker, this weekend we honor the memories of those who were 
lost on 9/11. We also honor the brave first responders to the horrific 
acts of a decade ago, and recall the tremendous heroism and self-
sacrifice of so many in New York, at the Pentagon and on an airplane 
over Western Pennsylvania.
  May God bless all of those who died on 9/11 and their families, those 
who bravely responded to the tragedy, and those who ever put on the 
Nation's uniform to serve and protect us from the dangers we have faced 
and continue to face.
  And, Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless the United States of 
America.

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