[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20059-20060]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




THE TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION IS NOW

  (Mr. HASTINGS of Florida asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, according to the majority 
leader, the House will adjourn 2 days from now and take a political 
vacation for 6 weeks. We will do this despite the fact that we will 
leave 300 million Americans less safe than if we stay here and 
implement the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.
  Continuing to do nothing in the face of continued threats to our 
people and our way of life is hardly what the American people elected 
us to do. The 9/11 Commission focused their recommendations into three 
broad areas:

[[Page 20060]]

We need to attack terrorists and their organizations; we need to 
prevent the continued growth of Islamist terrorism; and we need to 
protect against and prepare for terrorist attacks.
  It pains me to say, though the American people must know, this 
administration and this Congress have failed miserably on all three of 
these counts. Instead of going after terrorists, we invaded Iraq and 
have caused an all-out civil war there that costs American lives on a 
daily basis.
  The war in Iraq has not prevented the growth of terrorism. We are 
learning now that it has actually enhanced the growth of terrorism. 
Instead of protecting and preparing for the next terrorist attack, we 
busy ourselves building partial ``let's pretend'' fences. I recommend 
and unanimously request that we consider the bipartisan recommendations 
of the 9/11 Commission, less jaw jacking and more action.

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