[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS

  (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the September 11 
attacks, and especially those who lost their lives on that day, 
including people from my own home State in Rhode Island.
  I was 8 months into my first term in Congress when our Nation's 
course was inexorably altered that blue Tuesday morning. Over the last 
18 years, as an inaugural member of the Committee on Homeland Security 
and as a member of the Committee on Armed Services with oversight over 
our Special Operations Forces, I devoted myself to ensuring our country 
is safe.
  I know that we have made progress, important progress, and we worked 
to eliminate terrorist enclaves around the world. We strengthened our 
security at home so that we are no longer a soft target. We, of course, 
paid dearly for these gains through the sacrifice of our servicemembers 
and the tax dollars of our citizens.
  However, we still have a long way to go. This summer, Congress, of 
course, finally enacted, permanently, to protect 9/11 first responders. 
It is certainly long overdue.
  We must also now fulfill our commitments to our veterans returning 
home from the Global War on Terror. We must protect our country against 
new and emerging threats, including in the cyber domain. And each year, 
we must renew our pledge to ``never forget.''

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