[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16752-16753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         AMERICA SUFFERS TODAY

  (Mr. GEPHARDT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, America, our blessed Nation, suffers 
today. Terribly. Terrorists sought to use fear as a weapon against 
every person in this Nation. They do not know America, and they do not 
know Americans. They think freedom is our vulnerability. It is our 
strength. We will need that strength in the days ahead. Throughout our 
proud history we have met every challenge, and we will meet this 
challenge.
  Mr. Speaker, we are united in mourning for all of our fellow citizens 
who were injured and died. I have been so moved while watching 
television and seeing the heroism, the courage, the patriotism, the 
bravery, the goodness of our people trying to help one another, save 
one another, bind up our wounds, and find those who have been lost. Our 
hearts go out to every person, every family that has been touched by 
this awful tragedy, and to all the families at this very moment who are 
enduring an unspeakable, unimaginable horror in their lives.
  In times of national tragedy, Americans have always come together, 
strengthened our resolve, and faced adversity squarely while giving aid 
and comfort to every victim, every family member, every relative, every 
person affected by the tragedy. On this occasion, we are once again 
showing the world what it means to be an American.

[[Page 16753]]

  We make a solemn pledge that we will honor all of the victims by 
committing ourselves to defend our land, our families and our freedom. 
Today we go back to work in Washington, in New York, and all around the 
country; and we are determined to show the world that America will not 
be defeated by anyone.
  Finally, we will do everything within our power to bring these 
heinous terrorists to justice, to address this act of horrible, 
despicable cowardice, and to ensure that something like this never, 
ever happens to our people again.
  We should also recognize that our public spaces, the heart and soul 
of American freedom, American ingenuity and American entrepreneurship, 
were violated yesterday in the most heinous way. We must, in one voice, 
work to reassure the American people that they are safe on the streets, 
in the air, and in all of our buildings no matter where they live or 
work. This Congress, in a nonpartisan way, will work as hard as humanly 
possible to make sure that our people have the safety they demand and 
deserve, and that terror is defeated completely and finally.
  Make no mistake, this was an act of war against the United States and 
all of our people; and we will not be divided. All of us, the 
President, the Congress, and the American people, are today, and will 
be tomorrow and in all of the tomorrows, totally and completely united 
in our determination to begin the process of healing and to take swift 
action to see that the people who committed this horrible crime are 
properly punished.
  May God shed His grace on this great and wonderful country and all of 
our people.

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