[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 121 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6098-S6100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            REMEMBERING 9/11

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise in memory of an unspeakable tragedy 
that shook our great Nation free of the belief that we are an 
untouchable force in the modern world, 11 years ago today.
  Eleven years ago today an unspeakable tragedy shook our great Nation 
free of the belief that we are an untouchable force in the modern 
world.
  Today, as we honor the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children 
who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a 
field in Shanksville, PA, we must remember more than the pain and rage 
that followed the events of that Tuesday morning.
  I cannot help but compare that day to the morning of December 7, 
1941, when Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, killing more than 
2,400 sailors, soldiers, and civilians, and plunging our Nation into 
World War II.
  The bombing of Pearl Harbor moved me to put on the uniform and join 
thousands of my brothers in a fight that spanned across Europe and the 
Asia Pacific.
  Like Pearl Harbor, the events of September 11 forced our Nation to 
send troops into Afghanistan, and later it was used to help justify the 
invasion of Iraq.
  More than 6,000 of our brave men and women have died fighting in 
those countries, and, like World War II, the loss of life and American 
resources is staggering.
  These attacks on America, the wars that followed, and the aftermath 
where we searched for hope and dealt with the pain of loss, altered our 
national consciousness and fortified us for the future that we continue 
to work hard to build.
  To move forward, we must recognize that September 11 was a painful 
reminder that America must remain ever vigilant to the threats posed by 
foreign forces and those who abhor the freedom and equality that 
defines our great Nation.
  But most importantly, we have to understand the role America plays in 
the global community, and we must be respectful of our place and work 
hard to use what we have been blessed with to ensure that peace and 
good will reign, regardless of our differences.
  I speak from experience when I say that no matter the justification 
and no matter the final outcome, no nation, no people, escape from war 
unscathed.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, eleven years ago today, on a crisp early 
autumn morning much like today's, I was at the Supreme Court for the 
semiannual meeting of the Judicial Conference when I got word of the 
first attack of 9/11. I quietly informed Chief Justice William 
Rehnquist, who was presiding over our meeting. Soon afterward we heard 
a muffled ``bump,'' followed by a report that a car bomb may have gone 
off across town at the State Department. Of course, we later learned 
that this had been the sound of another plane, as it slammed into the 
Pentagon.
  I remember later that day, evacuating my staff from the Russell 
Senate Building. I remember crossing along the West Front of the 
Capitol as two fighter jets streaked up the Mall. I remember the 
unnatural stillness of a big city in shock, similar only to what I saw 
as a law student at Georgetown, when a pall descended over Washington 
after the news that President John F. Kennedy had been killed.
  At this morning's meeting of the Judicial Conference in that same 
room where we met 11 years ago on this date, several participants 
offered reflections about this somber anniversary.
  I noted that much of what holds our country together in times of 
crisis is the integrity of the three branches of our constitutional 
government. In recent times, for temporary political gain, there too 
often has been the temptation to tear down our foundational 
institutions, undermining the public's faith and confidence in our 
system. Over time, that cannot help but erode that foundation. I 
pointed out that this was why, the day after the attacks 11 years ago, 
each and every Senator made the effort to be in his or her seat in an 
unmistakable gesture of unity of purpose. We knew that we had to reopen 
this emblem and pillar of American democracy, and I was proud to be in 
my seat representing Vermont when the Senate convened for business that 
next morning.
  Over this past decade, as Americans we have gathered each year on 
this date to remember the thousands of innocent lives that were taken 
so casually and so callously on that terrible morning. We also remember 
and honor the brave first responders and military servicemembers who 
have lost their lives protecting and serving our country. It has been 
more than a year since

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President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had finally been brought 
to justice. Although his death will never heal the pain of the families 
who grieve their losses, we all hope that it will bring a degree of 
closure and a measure of solace to them, and to all Americans.
  In the aftermath of this tragedy, it became clear that changes to our 
intelligence and law enforcement agencies were needed to address the 
government's failure to connect the dots before the attacks. I have 
worked to ensure that Federal agencies have the tools they need to make 
our borders more secure, improve our intelligence gathering, track down 
terrorists and bring them to justice, in ways that are consistent with 
our laws and fundamental values. I firmly believe that we can keep our 
Nation safe without relinquishing our values.
  The last 11 years have further exposed the perversity and bankruptcy 
at the core of al-Qaida's philosophy and the resilient strength at the 
core of America's foundational principles. We are a people whose power 
is in our diversity, our principles, and our liberty. No attack on our 
shores has ever taken those from us, and no attack ever will.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I remember, as many do, exactly where I 
was on this day 11 years ago. On that Tuesday morning the United States 
suffered a terrible attack that resulted in almost 3,000 immediate 
deaths. When we think of 9/11, we remember the shock, horror and 
feelings of helplessness. But as we reflect on that day, we also 
remember the outpouring of compassion and common purpose that united us 
then and in the days, weeks, and months that followed. We remember the 
courage shown by the firefighters, po1ice, and other first responders, 
by the passengers of United Flight 93, and by so many others. That day 
left us with a resolve to regroup, rebuild and recover while renewing 
our country's reputation as a world leader and symbol of freedom.
  Eleven years later, Americans have shown that our resolve cannot be 
broken. We remember and honor all those who have and continue to 
sacrifice to keep us safe, especially the more than 2 million members 
of our military who have served in the years since 9/11.
  We should also remember the spirit of unity and determination that 
followed in the weeks and months after 9/11. We were not divided as 
Democrats and Republicans, we were Americans united in purpose. We 
would do well in these divisive campaigns to reflect on that unity as 
Americans and pledge to work together to advance the best interests of 
this great nation.
  On this day of remembrance to our fallen heroes, I urge all Alaskans 
and Americans across the country to join together in service to our 
neighbors and communities.
  Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts. Mr. President, although 11 years have 
passed since September 11, 2001, our hearts still ache for the families 
of the victims as we recall the horror and disbelief of that day. The 
attacks were a barbaric assault on our Nation's values, meant to crack 
the foundations of our civilization, strike fear in our hearts, and 
shake our resolve as a people. But the terrorists have failed in their 
twisted objectives, as we remain steadfast in our belief in the 
goodness of our Nation and her enduring ideals. We will never forget 
the tragedy of that day and the lives that were lost, just as we will 
never forget the sacrifices made by our troops to protect our freedoms. 
Today, we stand proudly as Americans first.
  Among the nearly 3,000 innocent lives taken in the terror attacks of 
September 11, 2001, were more than 90 residents of my State of 
Massachusetts. In alphabetical order are those residents and more than 
110 victims with close personal ties to the Commonwealth:

       Anna S. W. Allison of Stoneham, MA; Barbara Arestegui of 
     Marston Mills, MA; Myra Joy Aronson of Charleston, MA; Garnet 
     Edward Bailey of Lynnfield, MA; Christine Johnna Barbuto of 
     Brookline, MA; Mark Lawrence Bavis of West Newton, MA; Graham 
     Andrew Berkeley of Wellesley, MA; David W. Bernard of 
     Chelmsford, MA; Kelly Ann Booms of Brookline, MA; John Brett 
     Cahill of Wellesley, MA; Christoffer Mikael Carstanjen of 
     Turner Falls, MA; Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey of Wellesley, 
     MA; Jeffrey William Coombs of Abington, MA; John Corcoran of 
     Norwell, MA; Tara Kathleen Creamer of Worcester, MA; Patrick 
     J. Currivan of Winchester, MA; David DiMeglio of Wakefield, 
     MA; Donald Americo DiTullio of Peabody, MA; Paige Farley-
     Hackel of Newton, MA; Alexander Milan Filipov of Concord, MA; 
     Paul J. Friedman of Belmont, MA; Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe 
     of Brookline, MA; Peter Allan Gay of Tewksbury, MA; Linda Mae 
     George of Westboro, MA; and Edmund Glazer of Wellesley, MA.
       Lynn Catherine Goodchild of Attleboro, MA; Peter Morgan 
     Goodrich of Sudbury, MA; Lisa Reinhard Fenn Gordenstein of 
     Needham, MA; Douglas A. Gowell of Methuen, MA; Francis Grogan 
     of Easton, MA; Maile Rachel Hale of Cambridge, MA; Christine 
     Lee Hanson of Groton, MA; Peter Burton Hanson of Groton, MA; 
     Sue Jue Kim Hanson of Groton, MA; Eric Smadikan Hartono of 
     Boston, MA; Peter Paul Hashem of Tewksbury, MA; James E. 
     Hayden of Westford, MA; Robert Jay Hayes of Amesbury, MA; 
     Edward R. Hennessy, Jr. of Belmont, MA; Todd Russell Hill of 
     Boston, MA; Cora Hidalgo Holland of Sudbury, MA; Herbert 
     Wilson Homer of Milford, MA; John Nicholas Humber, Jr. of 
     Newton, MA; Robert Adrian Jalbert of Swampscott, MA; John 
     Charles Jenkins of Cambridge, MA; Charles Edward Jones of 
     Bedford, MA; Robin L. Kaplan of Westboro, MA; Ralph Francis 
     Kershaw of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA; Brian Kevin Kinney of 
     Lowell, MA; and Judy Camilla Larocque of Framingham, MA.
       Natalie Janis Lasden of Peabody, MA; Daniel M. Lewin of 
     Brookline, MA; Sara Elizabeth Low of Boston, MA; Marianne 
     MacFarlane of Revere, MA; Susan McAleney Mackay of Westford, 
     MA; Karen Ann Martin of Danvers, MA; Joseph Mathai of 
     Arlington, MA; Michael Gregory McGinty of Foxboro, MA; 
     Deborah Medwig of Dedham, MA; Christopher Daniel Mello of 
     Boston, MA; Carlos Alberto Montoya of Belmont, MA; Laura Lee 
     DeFazio Morabito of Framingham, MA; Christopher Martel 
     Morrison of Charleston, MA; Mildred Rose Naiman of Andover, 
     MA; Kathleen Ann Nicosia of Winthrop, MA; John Ogonowski of 
     Dracut, MA; Betty Ann Ong of Andover, MA; Jane M. Orth of 
     Haverhill, MA; Sonia Mercedes Morales Puopolo of Dover, MA; 
     Patrick J. Quigley, IV of Wellesley Hills, MA; David E. Retik 
     of Needham, MA; Frederick Charles Rimmele, III of Marblehead, 
     MA; Raymond J. Rocha of Malden, MA; Jean Destrehan Roger of 
     Longmeadow, MA; and Philip Martin Rosenzweig of Acton, MA.
       Richard Barry Ross of Newton, MA; Jessica Leigh Sachs of 
     Billerica, MA; Rahma Salie of Boston, MA; Jesus Sanchez of 
     Hudson, MA; Jane Louise Simpkin of Wayland, MA; Heather Lee 
     Smith of Boston, MA; Dianne Bullis Snyder of Westport, MA; 
     Brian David Sweeney of Barnstable, MA; Madeline Amy Sweeney 
     of Acton, MA; Michael Theodoridis of Boston, MA; Amy E. Toyen 
     of Newton, MA; James Anthony Trentini of Everett, MA; Mary 
     Trentini of Everett, MA; Antonio De Jesus Montoya Valdez of 
     East Boston, MA; Kenneth E. Waldie of Methuen, MA; William 
     Michael Weems of Marblehead, MA; Candace Lee Williams of 
     Dorchester, MA; and Christopher Rudoph Zarba, Jr. of 
     Hopkinton, MA.

  And, Mr. President, those victims with close personal ties to 
Massachusetts include:

       Stephen Adams, Gertrude Alagero, Japhet Aryee, Mark 
     Bingham, Jeffrey D. Bittner, Susan L. Blair, Carol Marie 
     Bouchard, Michael R. Canty, William Caspar, Swarna Chalasani, 
     Stephen Cherry, Geoffrey William Cloud, Jeffrey D. Collman, 
     Kevin Patrick Connors, Fredrick John Cox, Jr., Thelma 
     Cuccinello, Dorothy deAraujo, Gerard DeConto, Manuel 
     DelValle, Jr., Gerard Dewan, Simon Dhanani, Alberto 
     Dominguez, Jamie Lynn Fallon, John R. Fisher, and Richard 
     Fitzsimons.
       Carol Flyzik, Alan Friedlander, Thomas Edward Galvin, 
     Douglas Gardner, Andrew Curry Green, Donald Freeman Greene, 
     Philip T. Guza, Carl Hammond, Gerald Hardacre, Melissa 
     Harrington-Hughes, John C. Hartz, Roberta Bernstein Heber, 
     Norberto Hernandez, William Christopher Hunt, Erik Hans 
     Isbrandtsen, Waleed J. Iskandar, Aaron J. Jacobs, Ariel L. 
     Jacobs, Jason K. Jacobs, Gricelda E. Garo James, Amy Nicole 
     Jarret, Joseph Jenkins Jr., Jennifer Lynn Kane, Robert M. 
     Kaulfers, and Richard M. Keane.
       Barbara A. Keating, David P. Kovalcin, Kathryn L. LaBorie, 
     Robert George LeBlanc, Dong Lee, Joseph A. Lenihan, Jeffrey 
     LeVeen, Sean Patrick Lynch, Louis Neil Mariani, Kenneth J. 
     Marino, Margaret Mattic, Kevin M. McCarthy, Julian Valentine 
     McCourt, Ruth Clifford McCourt, Thomas F. McGuinness Jr., 
     Gavin McMahon, Stuart Todd Meltzer, Raymond Joseph Metz, III, 
     Martin P. Michelstein, Craig J. Miller, Brian Joseph Murphy, 
     Shawn M. Nassaney, Laurie Olsen Neira, Renee Tetreault 
     Newell, and Jacqueline Norton.
       Robert Norton, Leah E. Oliver, Seamus O'Neal, Marie 
     Pappalardo, Robert Pattison, Thomas Nicolas Pecorelli, Todd 
     D. Pelino, Berinthia Berenson Perkins, Jean Peterson, Dennis 
     J. Pierce, Everett Proctor, III, Carrie Beth Progen, Jonathan 
     Randall, Venesha Richards, Isaias Rivera, Waleska Martinez 
     Rivera, Stephen L. Roach, Laura Rockefeller, Michael Craig 
     Rothberg, James M. Roux, Matthew Carmen Sellito, Kathleen 
     Shearer, Robert M. Shearer, Antoinette Sherman, and Timothy 
     C. Stout.
       Edward W. Straub, Kevin T. Szocik, Leonard E. Taylor, Eric 
     Thorpe, Alicia Titus, Daniel Trant, Tyler Ugolyn, Michael 
     Augustine Uliano, Meta Fuller Waller, Stephen Ward, John L. 
     Wenckus, Peter M. West, and Maudlyn A. White.

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