[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21829]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             SEPTEMBER 11TH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2003

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, two years ago today, we mourned and cried as 
we watched the horrific events that unfolded before us on September 11, 
2001.
  The events of that day will live forever collectively in the 
conscience of this country.
  Like Pearl Harbor, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the 
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. no one will forget where 
they were the moment they heard the news on that day.
  September 11, 2001, like very few days before in this nation, will 
live forever in infamy.
  We must never forget the thousands of lives that were lost as a 
result of those cowardly attacks. The passengers, the workers at the 
Pentagon and the World Trade Center and the many courageous rescue 
workers who in an effort to try to save lives, lost their own.
  Our nation must always remember those who fell victim to terrorism on 
that day. Our nation must never forget the suffering felt on that day. 
We must never forget the pain of the families who lost their loved 
ones, and we must always keep them in our prayers.
  But as I stand here on September 11, two years after the attacks, I 
am aware more now than ever before of the responsibilities we as 
lawmakers hold to this nation.
  As leaders of the greatest nation on this Earth, we have the 
responsibility to fight to uphold the ideals that make this nation 
great. We must continue to protect freedom and democracy and never 
abandon the ideals put forth by our founding fathers.
  We must continue to fight this war on terror and invest in our 
homeland security. We must make sure that attacks, like those 
experienced two years ago, will never happen again. And if they should 
happen again, we are able to respond to protect the lives of our 
citizens.
  This country was united two years ago by an act of violence and 
terror. A renewed sense of patriotism gripped this nation and I feel 
that it is still present today.
  Let us never forget this sensation. Let us use the tragedy of 
September 11, 2001 to make this a stronger nation, a nation that cannot 
be crippled by a zealous few. Let us use the tragedy of September 11, 
2001 to make this a safe and freer world, not only for the children of 
the United States, but the children throughout the world. Freedom is a 
right entitled to all.
  Let us never forget those who passed away on September 11, 2001.
  Let us pray for the children who lost their parents, the parents who 
lost their children, and everyone who suffered a loss on that horrific 
day.
  But also, on this commemorative day, let us not forget to pray for 
the safe return of our troops overseas. Though we may not all agree 
with the politics behind this past war, we can all agree that America's 
sons and daughters are overseas fighting with passion to protect our 
freedom. Let us not forget to include them in our prayers.
  We must pray for continued peace and security in this nation and in 
all nations.
  On behalf of the people of the Inland Empire of California, I offer 
my emotional and spiritual support to those whose lives were changed 
forever two years ago today.
  And I would like to take a moment to mention the names of the three 
constituents I lost on that day. Cora Holland, mother of three and 
grandmother who died aboard American Airlines flight 11; Rhonda 
Rasmussen, who died at the Pentagon; and Navy Yeoman Second Class 
Melissa Rose Barnes, who died at the Pentagon.

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