[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17890]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE FOR SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THELMA D. DRAKE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2006

  Mrs. DRAKE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we remembered the tragic events 
that unfolded 5 years ago on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 
2001.
  We remembered a day replete with loss, but also replete with heroism.
  As we reflect on those who died that fateful day--as we mourn those 
family members and friends whose lives were taken by a group of radical 
extremists, I would like to pay tribute to the 343 firefighters who 
were lost in the wreckage of the WorId Trade Center.
  I am often amazed when I reflect back on the acts of those 
firefighters. For most, the human instinct is to turn and run away from 
imminent danger. Yet, they were prepared to sacrifice their own lives 
in order to save the lives of those they had never met. This courage 
was born from a commitment to service that is shared with thousands 
more across the Nation.
  They are our first responders, and every time America is threatened, 
whether by an act of God or an act of man, they are the first to 
arrive, providing certainty out of an uncertain situation. Many 
Americans, in New York City and around our country, owe their lives to 
first responders. We owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude, not 
only for what they have done, but for what they are prepared to do.
  We must never forget the tragedy of September 11th, and we should 
never forget the triumphs of September 11th. America is a better place 
because of the strength, the courage and the determination of our first 
responders.

                          ____________________