[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 21916-21917]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          AN INSPIRATIONAL DAY

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I will talk a little bit on another topic 
for a couple of minutes, in large part because we began this morning 
opening at 8:30, and over the course of the morning I personally, in 
part representing this body, have had a wonderful day. It was a day 
that was truly inspiring if you look at public service, but also if you 
look at the sacrifice that others made on September 11 and since that 
time, and others who continue to make right now in Iraq and Afghanistan 
to preserve the freedoms and liberties that we have.
  We opened this morning with a commemoration, a bell ringing, and had 
a moment of silence with that glorious sound of that bell dramatically 
ringing for each of the incidents and the tragedies that occurred on 
September 11.
  Over the course of the day on this floor, we have heard our 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle reminisce, talk about what they 
were doing then but also how they have been affected as public servants 
in dealing with others, how people have been brought together, how the 
common threads which bind all of us have been stressed a little bit 
more the last couple of years than maybe in the previous years.
  A little bit later in the morning I had an opportunity to go by the 
Pentagon. At the Pentagon I saw the reconstruction. I had the real 
privilege of having the Speaker of the House give to Secretary Rumsfeld 
the flag that was flying over the east wing of the Capitol 2 years ago.
  We were in the chapel in the part of the Pentagon that was struck. In 
that new chapel are four beautiful stained-glass windows dedicated to 
the events, to the families, and to the institution--all related to 
September 11.
  Coming back here a little bit later, the Congress--Members of the 
House and Senate, and others--were on the front steps of the Capitol 
not too far from where I am speaking now on the floor of the Senate. It 
was very reminiscent of that night 2 years ago when

[[Page 21917]]

we were on the steps. We made a statement. It was a spontaneous 
statement that the terrorists will not shut down our Government, where 
we joined hands and sang ``God Bless America'' on the night of 
September 11.
  Then later this afternoon--just a few minutes ago--we had a wonderful 
service with our Senate family, staff, Senators, President pro tempore, 
and the Senate Chaplain and the House Chaplain, again reflecting late 
this afternoon on the events of 2 years ago. It was a wonderful 10 
minutes when the Chaplain said: ``I just want three people to volunteer 
to come forward and say how September affected them.'' Usually 
everybody kind of sinks down and doesn't want to be the one to 
volunteer in front of a few hundred people. But hands shot up, and 
people spoke from the heart about how September 11 affected them each 
in individual ways, but with a common theme coming back of appreciation 
for what this country has given us and the importance of our doing 
everything we can to protect the freedom and liberty upon which this 
country has been founded and of which we take advantage.
  Also, 40 minutes ago I had the opportunity to go to the West Front of 
the Capitol and look out over The Mall, with the Lincoln Memorial and 
the Washington Monument--again, not too many yards from where we are 
today--to have the lone bugler quietly--right at 6 o'clock tonight, 40 
minutes ago--play Taps with a clear sky--the Sun was just beginning to 
go down--to express our appreciation, our love, and our feeling for the 
many families who have been affected by the tragedy of September 11.
  Again, I want to add that people continue to sacrifice and fight for 
that very same freedom. It is appropriate that we use this day for a 
day of reflection.
  We continue business. I think that is important. A lot of people said 
we should stop all business in the Senate. No, I don't think anybody 
from September 11 would say stop the Nation's business. In effect, they 
would say continue the Nation's business. Indeed, we made real progress 
today and continued the work of the Senate well into last night as 
well.
  Americans all over the country--and indeed all over the world; 
indeed, not just Americans--I know spent the day kneeling, praying, 
going to synagogues, mosques, and churches, holding services like the 
many services we have had here in Washington, DC. A large part of that 
I think is reflected in the power of faith and the fact that faith has 
that power to help heal, to help explain the questions of ``Why?'' that 
continue to arise: Why did things happen on that fateful day? Power to 
console, faith to reassure--both right now and as it did 2 years ago on 
that fateful day.
  Although 2 years later memories are a little bit fainter and our pain 
may be just a touch more distant, we still ask questions, questions of 
``Why?'' In that answer of the ``why,'' I think it makes all of us a 
bit more determined, a bit more focused, and a bit more appreciative of 
what we have.
  We do put our trust in providence. It is hard to be in this body for 
very long and not realize the importance of faith and providence in the 
Senate and in our Founding Fathers and the democracy we share today.
  Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address after 4 of the most 
traumatic years in U.S. history, said: ``The almighty has His own 
purposes.''
  I thought of that today while sitting through one of the ceremonies. 
It does help that question of ``Why?'' Clearly, in Abraham Lincoln's 
time, faith was able to support, console, and give strength to our 
Nation. Clearly, that is the same thing today as we look at the various 
services. Our Founders had a belief. They believed--they knew, and 
believed--that our Nation was founded with divine purpose. During some 
of the most difficult moments, with the odds being against us at 
certain points in time, our leaders turned to faith. And indeed God has 
watched over this Nation. Although we asked, ``Why?'' on September 11, 
God was watching over us on September 11.
  Over the course of the day, it came up to each of us in different 
ways. And Lisa Beamer--the world knows now because she was able to 
articulate and put a face that expresses what we are all trying to 
describe--said of her husband's flight on that day, September 11:

       The courageous actions of the passengers and crew reminded 
     me that on the day when people around the world felt 
     violated, helpless, alone and afraid, there were still people 
     of character, people who in the midst of crisis dared to live 
     to the last second with hope.

  She captured it.
  We all have to ask ourselves: Where did those heroes on Flight 93 
reach to get their courage? We answer: ``Family.'' That is where we get 
our strength. They answer: ``Faith.'' There is no question that each 
individual's faith almost certainly played a role.
  Todd Beamer said what is probably the most inspirational thing many 
of us have heard in our lives. He was talking to the telephone operator 
and said: ``Let's roll.'' But what he said a few seconds before that 
was the recitation of The Lord's Prayer.
  A few days after September 11, Billy Graham, in the national prayer 
service at the cathedral, along with folks here looking at the lessons 
of the ``why,'' said:

       The lesson of this event is not only about the mystery of 
     iniquity and evil, but . . . it's a lesson about our need for 
     each other.

  I was thinking about that when I was at the Senate service about an 
hour ago with the Senate family. Regardless of whether we are staff, or 
a Member, elected official, worker, Democrat, Republican, whether we 
are in our first term or seventh term, those in the room there, that 
common bond is a calling to public service. We believe in the greatness 
of this institution.
  As you look at the inscriptions all around--the inscription on the 
east doorway that we come through every day, or that most Senators come 
through--the inscription written up there is the English translation of 
the Latin, ``God has favored our undertakings.''
  We start coming back to those ``why's.''
  I will close. But I think, clearly, my final reference today, after 
coming in 11 hours ago for what has been a meaningful day for me, is a 
wish and a prayer that God continues to watch over the family members 
of the victims of September 11, that God heal their wounds as time goes 
forward, and that God continue to shine on America and indeed on this 
Senate.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I know the majority leader is about to 
take us out of session, but I just wanted to take a moment to thank him 
for his truly inspirational remarks about the events of today which I 
had an opportunity to hear over the last few moments and also to thank 
him for his extraordinary leadership of the Senate.
  You make us proud every day; particularly you make us proud today.

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