[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24084-24096]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 11 AS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 643) recognizing September 11 as a day of 
remembrance, extending sympathies to those who lost their lives on 
September 11, 2001, and their families, honoring the heroic actions of 
our Nation's first responders and Armed Forces, and reaffirming the 
commitment to defending the people of the United States against any and 
all future challenges.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 643

       Whereas on the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists 
     hijacked four civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into 
     the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and a 
     third into the Pentagon outside Washington, DC;
       Whereas the heroic actions of the passengers and crew 
     aboard United Flight 93, which ultimately led to the aircraft 
     crashing into a rural field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 
     prevented the plane from being used as a weapon against 
     America;

[[Page 24085]]

       Whereas nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children were 
     murdered in these attacks:
       Whereas their tragic loss will never be forgotten by the 
     people of the United States of America;
       Whereas by targeting symbols of American strength and 
     prosperity, the attacks were intended to assail the 
     principles, values, and freedoms of the American people, to 
     intimidate the Nation and its allies, and to weaken the 
     national resolve;
       Whereas the United States remains steadfast in its 
     determination to defeat, disrupt, and dismantle terrorist 
     organizations and seeks to harness all elements of national 
     power, including its military, economic, and diplomatic 
     might, to do so;
       Whereas Congress passed, and the President signed, numerous 
     laws to assist victims, combat terrorism, protect the 
     Homeland, and support the members of the Armed Forces who 
     defend American interests at home and abroad;
       Whereas terrorist attacks that have occurred since 
     September 11, 2001, in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, 
     Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, remind all 
     people of the brutal intentions of the terrorists and the 
     ever-present threat they pose to the principles of freedom, 
     justice, and the rule of law;
       Whereas the United States has worked cooperatively with the 
     nations of the free world to confront, disrupt, and punish 
     terrorists at home and abroad, and remains committed to 
     building strong and effective counterterrorism alliances;
       Whereas immediately following September 11, the United 
     States Armed Forces moved swiftly against al-Qaeda and the 
     Taliban regime, which the President and Congress had 
     identified as enemies of America;
       Whereas in doing so, brave servicemen and women left family 
     and friends in order to defend the Nation; and
       Whereas six years later, many servicemen and women remain 
     abroad, defending the Nation from further terrorist attacks: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes September 11 as both a day to remember those 
     taken from their families, loved ones, and fellow citizens 
     and a day for Americans to recommit to the Nation and to each 
     other;
       (2) extends its deepest sympathies to the countless 
     innocent victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist 
     attacks, their families, friends, and loved ones;
       (3) honors the heroic service, actions and sacrifices of 
     first responders, law enforcement personnel, State and local 
     officials, volunteers, and others who aided the innocent 
     victims and, in so doing, bravely risked their own lives and 
     health;
       (4) expresses thanks and gratitude to the foreign leaders 
     and citizens of all nations who have assisted and continue to 
     stand in solidarity with the United States against terrorism 
     in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist 
     attacks;
       (5) rejects, in the strongest possible terms, any effort to 
     confuse the war on terrorism with a war on any people or any 
     faith;
       (6) honors the heroic service, actions and the sacrifices 
     of United States personnel, including members of the United 
     States Armed Forces, United States intelligence agencies, and 
     the United States diplomatic service, and their families who 
     have sacrificed much, including their lives and health, in 
     defense of their country against terrorists and their 
     supporters;
       (7) remains resolved in its commitment to defeating 
     terrorists and their supporters who threaten the United 
     States and to providing the United States Armed Forces, 
     United States intelligence agencies, and the United States 
     diplomatic service with the resources and support to do so 
     effectively and safely; and
       (8) reaffirms that House of Representatives honors the 
     memory of those who lost their lives as a result of the 
     September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and reaffirms its 
     commitment to defend the people of the United States in the 
     face of any and all future challenges.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material on House Resolution 643.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
  Mr. Speaker, the Members who rise tonight to speak on this important 
legislation do so not as Democrats or as Republicans, but as one, as 
Americans united in the defense of the great Nation and the ideals for 
which it stands: Freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.
  Six years ago, as all of us know, on September 11, 2001, it is a day, 
Mr. Speaker, that none of us will ever forget as long as we live. 
September 11 is seared into the American consciousness, much like 
December 7, 1941, and November 22, 1963, as a day of infamy, a day of 
unspeakable horror, a day of unmitigated evil, and yes, a day of 
incredible heroism.
  On this eve of the sixth anniversary of September 11, this 
resolution, jointly introduced by myself as the majority leader and by 
Mr. Boehner as the Republican leader, recognizes this as a day of 
remembrance and resolve.
  We remember the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children who 
lost their lives on September 11. And we extend, once again, our 
sympathies to their families, friends, and loved ones.
  We honor the courage and heroic actions, service and sacrifice of our 
first responders; firemen, policemen, medical personnel, as well as our 
valiant servicemen and women who now are in harm's way thousands of 
miles from this Chamber.
  Mr. Speaker, you will recall with me that 343 members of the New York 
Fire Department lost their lives on that day, in addition to the 
thousands of people who lost their lives in the 2 towers. Twenty-three 
New York policemen lost their lives, and 37 officers of the Port 
Authority of New York lost their lives on that day.
  We must remember, however, that what they did, along with their 
colleagues in the fire department, the police department and the Port 
Authority Police, was saved tens of thousands of people who got out of 
the buildings before they collapsed. We lost people, of course, in the 
Pentagon as well, people from my district and districts throughout this 
country.
  Today, we reaffirm our commitment to defending the American people 
against any and all future challenges. I mentioned the Pentagon. I 
mentioned the World Trade Center. But a plane that perhaps, Mr. 
Speaker, was flying towards this Capitol, or perhaps the White House, 
was taken down by some brave Americans who learned what was happening 
that day through their cell phones. And they resolved, on that day, to 
give the last measure of devotion to their country by giving their 
lives that that plane might not reach its target but crash in the 
fields of Pennsylvania.

                              {time}  1730

  As this resolution states, Mr. Speaker, we remain steadfast in our 
determination to disrupt, dismantle and defeat terrorist organizations, 
and we will harness all elements of our national power: military, 
economic, diplomatic, and, yes, moral, to effect that defeat.
  In the aftermath of September 11, Americans, awakened to the threat 
of international terrorism, collectively declared, Never again. And, 
over the last 6 years, thousands of Americans have worked tirelessly to 
improve our Nation's security and to protect our people.
  Have we done enough? No. Do we need to do more? Yes. However, this 
Congress has passed, and the President has signed, numerous laws to 
assist victims, combat terrorism, protect our homeland and to support 
the members of our Armed Forces who defend our interests at home and 
abroad.
  Perhaps none of these measures has been more important than the 
passage this year of H.R. 1, legislation implementing the 
recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. Among other things, 
this legislation requires 100 percent screening of cargo on passenger 
aircraft and 100 percent screening of seaborne cargo before it gets to 
U.S. ports. It ensures that first responders can communicate with each 
other, improves rail and mass transit security, and seeks to prevent 
terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.
  Without question, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1 will help us harden our 
defenses and combat terrorism. However, no one should be mistaken: 
Legislation alone cannot immunize our Nation from attack.

[[Page 24086]]

  In fact, as the Chairs of the 9/11 Commission wrote just yesterday in 
The Washington Post: ``Six years later, we are safer in a narrow sense: 
We have not been attacked, and our defenses are better.'' But, as they 
point out, Mr. Speaker: ``We still have a long way to go.''
  It is therefore appropriate that we pass this resolution of 
remembrance. But it also must be a resolution of resolve that we will 
not allow the situation that existed on 9/11 to be maintained and, in 
fact, we have not. We are stronger; but as Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Kean 
pointed out, not yet strong enough.
  Tonight, Mr. Speaker, let us recognize September 11 as a solemn 
reminder of our vulnerability. Let us also be reminded that we are part 
of something much larger than ourselves. We are the land of the free 
and the home of the brave, and the terrorists who sought to break our 
spirit only clarified our purpose and steeled our resolve. Mr. Speaker, 
may God continue to bless our great country.
  I have talked to a reporter just a few minutes ago. That reporter, 
Max Cacas, was listening to Leader Gephardt and Speaker Hastert on that 
September 11, 2001, on the Capitol steps, state our resolve. Then, Mr. 
Speaker, you may recall, the Members spontaneously sang ``God Bless 
America.'' It was a prayer and it was a resolve.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this very 
important resolution.
  I ask unanimous consent that the distinguished chairman of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee might manage the balance of our time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Maryland?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 1 
minute to the gentleman from Ohio, the distinguished minority leader 
(Mr. Boehner).
  Mr. BOEHNER. I want to thank my colleague from Virginia for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes tomorrow, September 11, as a 
day of remembrance. We extend the profound sympathies of this body to 
those who lost their loved ones in New York, at the Pentagon, and in 
the fields of Pennsylvania. This resolution also honors the 
firefighters and first responders who willingly risked or gave up their 
lives to save others on that fateful day. We also honor the sacrifice 
and heroism of our Armed Forces: The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the 
Coast Guard, and the Marine Corps. Those men and women stand on the 
wall of freedom, and they are bravely fighting a determined enemy in 
the war on terror. They deserve our respect and our backing.
  I can still remember how blue and peaceful that east coast sky was 
the morning of September 11, 2001, and how that peace was shattered by 
the attacks on our country. They say every generation of Americans has 
its challenge. The challenge of this generation became clear to all of 
us on that day. It was a day that forever changed us and the way we 
look at the world.
  America was brutally attacked without mercy and without warning. We 
will never, ever forget those that we lost on that day. Republicans and 
Democrats must work together to ensure that our children and their 
children never have to live through another day like September 11, 
2001.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms. Nancy 
Pelosi.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank 
him for bringing this resolution to the floor, and I thank Mr. Hoyer 
and Mr. Boehner for cosponsoring this very important resolution to 
remember what happened on 9/11 6 years ago.
  On that terrible day, our country received an assault that was 
personal, and it was vicious. Our country responded with unity and with 
clarity about our resolve to fight terrorism. On a personal basis, for 
the families who were affected, I want to thank them, the families of 
9/11, for turning their grief and their sorrow into action. They 
inspired our country to form a 9/11 Commission, to have the 
9/11 Commission recommendations passed into law and signed by President 
Bush this summer. For that, all of us who care about the security of 
our country and the safety of our people owe those families a deep debt 
of gratitude. We also owe them the sympathy that their lost ones, their 
loved ones, will always be in our hearts.
  Earlier today, Mr. Speaker, I went to Ground Zero. I saw the 
rebuilding that is going on at that site. It is not without great 
sadness that one visits that hallowed ground. It is not without 
remembering when some of us visited the first time 6 years ago 
following the tragedy. At that time, it was total silence, no speaking, 
no photographs, just a somber evaluation of the destruction that had 
been wrought and about the lives that had been lost. Today, Ground Zero 
is rebuilding. It is rebuilding to remember, with a memorial to 
remember; and it is rebuilding to say to the terrorists that they have 
not won.
  The main goal of terrorists is to terrorize, to instill fear. They 
don't care about lives. They don't care about buildings. They just want 
to make people afraid. They want to change the way we run our country, 
do our business, live our lives and honor our freedoms. But if that was 
their goal, they certainly have failed. Whether it is at the Pentagon, 
where a wreath will be laid tomorrow, or it is in Pennsylvania, where 
we will mourn that loss forever, or whether it is in New York City at 
Ground Zero, the American spirit is alive and well. Again, they have 
lost this fight because we will not change who we are. That is what 
they resent. That is what we will not relent on.
  So to those families, thank you. We will always, again, carry your 
loved ones in our hearts; but thank you for turning grief into power, 
into law, into a safer America. To those courageous people who rushed 
in, whether it was the emergency services, the police and fire, whether 
it was just volunteers, people off the street going in trying to help, 
whether it was construction companies going in trying to clear the 
area, to them we also say thank you for their courage at Ground Zero.
  But we owe them more, as well. So I hope that in our resolve to 
remember and to rebuild, to honor our freedoms and to honor our people, 
we will understand that we must honor a responsibility we have to those 
who tried to save lives at Ground Zero, who may have lost their health 
because of it. So in my trip to New York at Ground Zero and at City 
Hall, I talked to the mayor and the Governor about how we can work 
together in a bipartisan way to see what is fair and what can be done 
now so that fairness will prevail for these people, but that the 
message will be clear. God forbid if we are ever faced with another 
situation that we have a compact with our people that if we stand 
together, we will not stand alone if we are affected by another 
tragedy. It is very sad.
  I thank Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Boehner for putting together this very 
excellent resolution. Following the vote later this evening, we will 
leave the Chamber and go down the steps of the Capitol to have a vigil 
on the eve of 9/11. As the distinguished majority leader, Mr. Hoyer, 
mentioned, 6 years ago, spontaneously, Members, Democrats and 
Republicans alike, came together and at his suggestion we sang ``God 
Bless America.'' He is too modest. We will do that again tonight. We 
will sing that song with all the sincerity in the world. Moved by its 
beauty, but also committed to its words, we know that God has truly 
blessed America with our men and women in uniform who are fighting 
terrorism, with our first responders who are our first line of defense 
in our community in ensuring homeland security and with all Americans 
joined together to never forget what happened on 9/11 and never forget 
that we are committed to our freedoms.
  So don't forget, my colleagues, following the vote on this 
resolution, in about another hour, let's all join together. It will be 
one of the first memorials to 9/11 this year, once again, on the steps 
of the Capitol. With that, I commend Mr. Boehner and Mr. Hoyer.

[[Page 24087]]


  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  This resolution appropriately summons us to reaffirm the sense of 
urgency forged in the crumbling inferno of the Twin Towers, the 
Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania. Today we fulfill our duty to 
remember, to honor the memory of the 2,996 martyrs who gave their lives 
in the earliest day of protracted struggle against godless extremism.
  This resolution reminds us that we are at war and no political 
difference or debate can detract from the heroic work done every day by 
the men and women of America's military. The 184 people who gave their 
lives at the Pentagon 5 years ago fought on an unexpected battlefield, 
but toiled until the end in loyal service to the national ideals of 
liberty and justice. A vote for this resolution confirms our eternal 
debt of honor to all those who fight to defend America and advance 
freedom.
  On 9/11, America's first responders got a bitter taste of the 
unwelcome battle brought to our shores. But their valor and grit 
carried us all through that day and those that followed. In this 
resolution, we also honor and support the work of the public safety and 
public health professionals who work every day to protect us from 
terrorist attacks. Between 9/11 observances, however, distance from the 
tragedy of 9/11 seems to have allowed some politics to seep in to what 
should be wholly nonpartisan discussions of profound national security 
issues.

                              {time}  1745

  With each passing year, what looked hugely urgent after 9/11 tends to 
get smaller in the viewfinder as more current problems loom larger. 
While we lose sight of the threat, an enemy who relentlessly worked to 
transform airplanes into guided missiles is maniacally focused on other 
ways to harm us. Rather than using the lengthening historical horizon 
to elevate our perspective, we have also allowed the debate over the 
next step in Iraq to draw us deep into the political weeds.
  As a Nation with global responsibilities, we need to climb out of the 
domestic political trenches and reclaim the high ground so dearly 
purchased 6 years ago. We do the victims of 9/11 a great disservice if 
we do not take bipartisan steps toward regaining a fair, far more 
strategic perspective.
  While Iraq is undeniably an element of our post-9/11 security 
equation, we cannot let that effort obscure our view of the emerging 
threats to peace: An emboldened, nuclear Iran, a resurgent Taliban, a 
divided Palestinian Government, and our continued dependence on foreign 
oil as our economic lifeblood.
  It is more than luck there hasn't been another major attack since 
2001. Given the proven strength of our ideals and the moral bankruptcy 
of these who exalt death over life, defeat in this war can only be 
self-inflicted. Only if we lose patience, only if we lose faith in the 
universality of the yearning for freedom, only if we fail to honor the 
sacrifices of our countrymen, from Bunker Hill to the Twin Towers, can 
the purveyors of death prevail over the forces of life.
  As in the almost 50-year cold war against Soviet Communism, our post-
9/11 reality has to be defined by a vigilance and a willingness to use 
all of the instruments of national power, not just the military, to 
advance the cause of human freedom. That is one lesson of 
9/11. Written in innocent blood, it is a lesson we can never forget.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have before us today a resolution whose purpose is, 
``Recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance,'' extending 
sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives on September 11, 
2001, ``honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first responders 
and Armed Forces, and reaffirming the commitment of defending the 
people of the United States against any and all future challenges.''
  Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I remember. Like millions of others in this 
country and around the globe, I remember exactly where I was and what I 
was doing when I first heard the news of this hideous atrocity.
  Like millions of others, I was profoundly shocked, sickened, and 
horrified by the scenes I saw unfolding that day. And in me there grew 
a cold anger. We will get those who did this, I said to myself back 
then. No matter how long it takes, we will defeat them. We will do 
everything in our power to protect the people of the United States.
  Recently, Mr. Speaker, we took a major step in that direction by 
enacting, with bipartisan support, legislation to implement the 
recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. By so doing, we addressed major 
security vulnerabilities, improving our homeland security across the 
board.
  But much more needs to be done. Al Qaeda remains a serious threat to 
the United States. The leadership of that group has been reconstituted 
and the terrorists have formed many small independent cells. One such 
cell was broken up just within the last few days in Germany.
  In order to triumph in the war of ideas with the extremists, we need 
to learn how best to use many forms of soft power, economic, financial, 
diplomatic, and cultural, which are available to us and to our allies.
  We in Congress can help by making sure that the foreign operations 
budget is fully funded, our principle instrument of soft power. We need 
to stop frittering away our resources, military, diplomatic and 
economic, on a ceaseless religious war in Iraq.
  The administration is making its case before Congress this week to 
stay the course in the Iraq war, which it continues cynically to 
conflate with the global balance struggle against fundamentalist 
extremism, even with the 9/11 attacks themselves. It continues to 
disturb me to hear the administration linking Iraq with the attacks 
perpetrated by Osama bin Laden and his thugs, especially when they are 
still at large.
  The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that we will not forget what really 
happened on that dark day 6 years ago. We will not forget the victims 
of 9/11, or the heroic first responders who sacrificed their lives, or 
the fighting men and women who carried the battle to the mountains of 
Afghanistan and rooted out the Taliban.
  We recommit ourselves today, as we have each year at this time for 
the past 6 years, to continue the fight against those who seek to 
destroy our American way of life, to deny us our constitutional rights 
and our freedoms.
  We will not forget. We will not falter in our resolve to protect our 
homeland. We shall remember our heroes.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my 
friend, the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).
  Mr. MICA. Thank you for yielding, Mr. Davis.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution in 
remembrance on the eve of September 11, the sixth anniversary of the 
attack on the United States. I am pleased that the committee on which I 
serve, the Government Reform Committee, and leadership of the House is 
remembering those who were lost as a result of that tragic attack on 
the United States.
  I wanted to come out tonight to also remember those that I knew and 
remember, just as every American who was alive on September 11, 
remembers where they were and who they knew and how they were affected.
  The morning of September 11 I was invited by Secretary Rumsfeld to 
have breakfast with him in the Pentagon. The topic of discussion, as 
you may recall, was a new administration working under an old budget, 
but we downsized the military, and the Secretary was concerned about 
the possibility of the United States coming under some other type of 
threat. How ironic.
  That morning we sat and discussed that subject in the Pentagon, the 
morning of September 11 and what would follow. I learned, just as the 
Secretary of Defense learned, of the attack

[[Page 24088]]

just a few minutes, around 9 o'clock in the morning.
  The irony of that day is that being in the Pentagon, and I left 
shortly before the plane hit the Pentagon, that Barbara Olson, who 
served the Government Reform Committee, was on the plane that hit the 
Pentagon. I will never forget, and I am not one of these guys that is 
sort of sentimental, but I remember seeing Barbara at a reception. She 
had left the committee, but she pecked me on the cheek as she said 
goodbye. I will never forget that goodbye. That was the last time I saw 
Barbara. She was on the plane that hit the Pentagon.
  In the Pentagon was Terry Lynch. I was chief of staff for then-
Senator Hawkins, and he worked with Senator Shelby from Alabama. I lost 
a good friend in Terry Lynch.
  Seven weeks before September 11, I was invited by a fellow by the 
name of Neil Levin, who was legislative director for Alfonse D'Amato, 
to come up. I had been named the chairman of Aviation. Neil Levin had 
been named director of the New York Port Authority.
  I spent time with Neil. We held a hearing with about 13 Members of 
Congress on Monday morning. We conducted a hearing in the World Trade 
Center hearing room. Afterwards Neil took me, my wife, and I think two 
or three other Members and their spouses that accompanied us for that 
occasion.
  In the Windows on the World restaurant, on the side, the New York 
Port Authority had a little reception in the dining room, and Neil 
hosted lunch for my wife and myself after that hearing. Neil and just 
about everyone who helped us with that hearing 7 weeks before happened 
to be in that same dining room the morning of September 11, and all of 
them were killed.
  I remember tonight Neil Levin, his family, his wife, those he left 
behind, and everyone who was with us as I left them in that room where 
they all died. The only one who survived was Bill Dakota, the airport 
director, who was at a conference in Montreal.
  So tonight has a meaning I wanted to leave on the Record of the House 
of Representatives. I remember each and every one of those individuals.
  I stood with my wife at Shanksville just a few weeks ago. I had not 
been there before. We remembered those great heroes.
  I might say in closing, those of Flight 93, the first responders, all 
those who helped in America's darkest hour, we saw our brightest and 
our shining heroes. With this resolution tonight, we remember all of 
them.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to my good 
friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), a distinguished 
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. CROWLEY. I thank my friend from California for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I was not here in Washington 6 years ago this evening. I 
was stuck in New York. Because of such bad weather, we couldn't get out 
of New York. I was forced to be on a plane the next morning. At 9:10 in 
the morning I was 2 planes from take-off at La Guardia, speaking about 
the Port Authority of New York, when we were informed the plane would 
be turned around and brought back to the terminal because of the 
attacks of 2 planes on the World Trade Center in New York.
  In many respects my thoughts are, life goes on. We see it all around 
us. Life does go on, but it doesn't diminish the loss that we all 
suffered on that fateful day 6 years ago, as a Nation, as to me as a 
New Yorker, more personally for me, as my first cousin Battalion Chief 
John Moran who was killed that day.
  Though on that day we saw the ugliest side of humankind, we also saw 
the brilliance of the human spirit, of the American spirit, and, if you 
allow me to say, the spirit of New York. We more than pulled through 
since that day 6 years ago. We see it today in the eyes and the faces 
of our servicemen and women who today around the world defend our 
freedoms.
  But I, for one, am not satisfied that Osama bin Laden is being hunted 
like a dog and is living in a cave somewhere in Afghanistan or 
Pakistan. I, for one, believe that 6 years is long enough to have let 
this animal roam freely in those areas.
  We need to bring that man to justice and all those who are 
responsible for this, that vicious attack on our country that day. We, 
as Americans, should not lose sight of that or be distracted. We need 
to find Osama bin Laden and all those responsible for the attack that 
day and bring them to justice.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my chairman, now ranking member, 
yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, 9/11 was a wake-up call from hell. We all know how we 
reacted to it, but the weeks that followed for those of us in the 
greater New York area had special meaning. It was a very poignant time.
  I think of the family of Joe Coppo whose son, Joseph, said good-bye 
to him. And he talked about his dad and he said: Dad, you wanted me to 
become an adult. This is a young man now in college, and he told us of 
all of the things he said that his dad wanted him to learn. And then he 
said: Dad I have learned from you, and don't worry, I'll be there to 
take care of Mom.
  Or the next week in the same church, Frank Fechet in talking about 
his son, Brad, and all of the things that he wanted him to learn and 
then he said: But, son, I learned far more from you than you ever 
learned from me.
  Or going to a service in Easton, Connecticut, at a small old church. 
It was built hundreds of years ago. Everybody couldn't fit in. It was a 
beautiful, sunny day and they were talking about a father, mother, and 
a precious 3-year-old child. They talked about the father and the 
mother, and then they had the nursery school where this 3-year-old 
child went, they had the teachers come and talk about this young child 
in a very precious way and then had us sing one of her favorite songs. 
When I left, the parents wanted to see me; and they said this can't be 
about anger and hate. They were lecturing me about what it couldn't be, 
and I was thinking I needed to tell them how much we cared for them.
  Or a family a week later, Neal and Jean Coleman, saying good-bye to 
two sons, Scott and Keith. It was a candlelight vigil and they talked 
about the sons. When it was over, the parents insisted on seeing me. 
They knew I was there. I tried to kind of just leave and not be too 
much of a presence. They said to me: This cannot be about anger and 
hate.
  Well, it is not about anger and hate. But it is a wake-up call. There 
is more than one inconvenient truth that confronts us. There is the one 
that Al Gore talks about. We could probably think of others. But there 
is one that the 9/11 Commission talks about. The one that the 9/11 
Commission talks about is Islamic terrorists who would do us harm at 
home and abroad. That's a wake-up call. It is an inconvenient truth.
  We are confronting these Islamic terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
in Europe, in Asia, in North and South America. We are going to 
confront them, but it is a very inconvenient truth.
  One thing that the 9/11 families asked us for is please pay attention 
to this. Detect, prevent, preempt. Don't let them attack us again. 
Those are things that require us to have powers like the PATRIOT Act, 
like a FISA law that works and isn't a meaningless law and one that 
prevents us from getting at these terrorists.
  So there are a lot of lessons here that I think we can learn. I just 
would conclude by saying all of us are united in wanting to confront 
Islamic terrorists, but that means we need to be united in terms of 
what we do in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world about the FISA 
law. Just as we lecture the Iraqis about how they need to come 
together, we need to do a better job of coming together.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my 
good friend from Georgia, the civil rights conscience of the Congress, 
John Lewis.

[[Page 24089]]


  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and 
colleague, the chairman, Mr. Lantos, for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, today we remember what happened at the World Trade 
Center and the Pentagon 6 years ago tomorrow. Just as it was 6 years 
ago, it is still unreal. It is still shocking. It is still 
unbelievable, but it did happen.
  Today we continue to remember the brave firefighters, the police 
officers, the doctors, nurses and all of the emergency medical 
personnel and rescue workers and private citizens who lost their lives 
that day, and those who gave their lives trying to save others. 
Together as one Nation we remember again those we have lost.
  Today we remember again the families and the loved ones of the 
victims at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the families of 
those who perished in Pennsylvania who prevented another vicious attack 
and saved countless lives here in Washington on that day.
  Today we pray that the grace of God be with us and all who mourn. We 
pray that God will continue to give us the strength to carry on and 
continue to do his work. And we pray today for peace in our world, 
peace in America and peace in our hearts and souls.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this resolution today.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution marking the sixth anniversary of this vicious attack on 
America.
  It was 6 years ago tomorrow when our Nation was irrevocably changed 
as the tragedy struck in the streets of Lower Manhattan, the fields of 
Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon.
  Six years later, the pain and anger remain fresh. We still miss those 
lost on that day, and we are still grateful for the heroes who faced 
danger on that day.
  When the day was over and as we learned of the loss of nearly 3,000 
Americans, including 700 New Jerseyans, just about 100 from my district 
in one small town, 20 or more were killed, 12 from the same church, we 
knew our Nation had been changed forever.
  But amidst the tragedy, we also saw the best of our Nation, neighbors 
and friends consoling one another, Americans from all walks of life 
standing united side by side waving the Stars and Stripes and lighting 
candles to honor those missing or lost.
  And while our Nation still faces challenges and still grapples with 
the aftermath of these attacks, we draw strength from the knowledge 
that the character and resolve of America is still strong 6 years 
later.
  Today, on the eve of the sixth anniversary of this tragedy as a 
Nation, we remember all those we lost. We embrace those who remain, the 
families of those victims, and we honor those who serve on our behalf 
in places like Afghanistan and Iraq and do it on a hellish environment 
on our behalf. And we honor our firefighters, our police officers and 
our emergency personnel. We bless them for their work. We will never 
forget September 11, 2001.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 1 minute to my dear 
friend and our distinguished colleague from Rhode Island, Congressman 
James Langevin.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in somber recognition of the sixth 
anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. I join all 
Americans in mourning those who lost their lives and in remembering 
their families.
  We can best honor their memory by ensuring that they did not die in 
vain. We took a significant step towards that goal by passing 
comprehensive legislation to implement the remaining 9/11 Commission 
recommendations. However, while we are safer, we are not yet safe.
  To combat terrorism, we must think comprehensively and coordinate our 
efforts into a unified approach. That is why I have introduced 
legislation requiring government agencies to collaborate on national 
security goals. This Quadrennial National Security Review that I have 
called for will ensure that we use all assets of national power, 
military, diplomatic, economic and others, to protect the American 
people.
  I commend Chairman Lantos and thank him for his comments on this 
issue and for cosponsoring this legislation. I commend Majority Leader 
Hoyer on this resolution that is before us tonight to honor those that 
we lost 6 years ago and for his efforts to protect our Nation. I urge 
all of my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my 
time to my distinguished colleague from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-
Waite).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Florida is recognized 
for 1\1/2\ minutes.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened 
to stand here today on the House floor. No Member envies speaking about 
the attacks on America that killed 3,000 of our citizens, but I feel it 
is extremely important that we take time to speak out in remembrance of 
their lives.
  I don't know if you can see this pin, Mr. Speaker, but I have worn 
this pin since 9/11 on the 11th day of every month. It has firefighters 
erecting a flag over the World Trade Center. It was given to me by 
Florida firefighters who joined their colleagues in New York after 9/
11.
  Every time I put this pin on, I am reminded of the horrors of that 
September day 6 years ago, as well as the challenges that our Nation 
faces from terrorist threats around the globe. We all remember the 
bravery and dedication of so many individuals in the immediate 
aftermath of the attacks on New York City and on the Pentagon, and the 
failed attempt where the plane landed in Pennsylvania. Thousands of 
policemen, firemen, EMTs, doctors, nurses and everyday citizens rushed 
into harm's way to help their fellow man. Many of these retired police 
and firemen and doctors have moved down to my area in Florida.
  With passage of the resolution before us today, these heroes will be 
remembered by every Member of Congress and be recognized for their 
outstanding efforts.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my 
good friend and distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Hare).
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the victims and the 
heroes of September 11. To the families, I offer my deepest sympathies 
for your loss. I would also like to salute the first responders who 
bravely sacrificed their lives.
  The attacks of September 11 were a wake-up call for all of our 
Nation. Never before had our vulnerability to attack been so apparent.
  Today, as we continue to rebuild, we stand united in our resolve to 
protect this Nation from further threats. This new Democratic majority 
implemented the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, a critical step 
towards ensuring the security and safety of the American people. May 
all of us pause in our own way to remember the sacrifices of so many of 
our fellow Americans, and may God always hold each and every one of 
them in arms of love.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my 
good friend and distinguished colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Steve 
Cohen.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow will be 6 years. Everybody knows 
where they were 6 years ago, as everybody of my generation knows where 
they were when President Kennedy died and everybody of the previous 
generation knows where they were on December 7, 1941, a day that will 
live in infamy.
  September 11, 2001, is a day that will live in infamy. We survived 
that as a country. We are together in fighting terrorism, and we are 
together in support for this great country and democracy.
  We have differences of opinion on how best to go about preserving our 
great country, our homeland security and defeating the terrorists; but 
people on both sides of the aisle are Americans. People in this Hall 
are patriotic. Although we have differences in how we analyze data and 
information given

[[Page 24090]]

us by different officials and see events in different ways, we all see 
them with the same eventual outcome, and that is to hope that we have 
peace and prosperity here in this country and throughout the world.
  In conclusion, I take a moment to honor the people who were so heroic 
in Pennsylvania and remember their words: Let's roll.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California controls 7 
minutes. The time of the gentleman from Virginia has expired.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield half of my time to our 
Republican colleagues if they need it.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this point but am 
expecting a speaker.
  Mr. LANTOS. I am pleased to yield 1 minute to my dear friend and our 
distinguished colleague from New York (Mrs. Lowey).

                              {time}  1815

  Mrs. LOWEY. I thank the chairman.
  Six years after the worst tragedy in our Nation's history, the pain 
that we all feel is still fresh. We remember the victims of this 
senseless attack, the parents, the siblings, spouses, children, 
friends, neighbors and coworkers, who lost their lives on September 11 
for no reason other than an ideology of hatred directed at our country, 
at our values and our way of life.
  We hold a special place in our hearts for the men, women and children 
that died that day. The victims' friends and families are in our 
thoughts and prayers that they may find comfort by focusing on the 
blessings of the lives of the victims rather than on the tragedy of 
their deaths.
  In Congress and in the administration, it is our solemn duty to honor 
those who died on September 11 by implementing the policies, both at 
home and abroad, that will protect our citizens and our country and 
help others to avoid the devastation that results from losing a loved 
one.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Virginia will control 3\1/2\ minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) as much time as he may consume.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. I appreciate very much my colleague yielding 
me this time. Very much I appreciate their making this effort to 
recognize and remember those people who lost their lives on 9/11 6 
years ago.
  I couldn't help, as I listened to the discussion today, to remember 
ironically that the Defense Subcommittee of Appropriations was meeting, 
with full membership from both sides of the aisle, just downstairs from 
the Chamber.
  At the time the plane crashed in Pennsylvania in that open lot, with 
us was John Murtha of Pennsylvania. It was in his district where that 
plane crashed. The irony, as many know but I cannot help to mention it, 
that John Murtha is the chairman of the subcommittee at this very 
moment. At the time, we together recognized that the most important 
work of the Appropriations Committee perhaps takes place in that 
committee room, the Defense Subcommittee room.
  And in this circumstance, when that plane crashed, which indeed 
likely was headed for the Capitol, that's the best speculation, if the 
Pennsylvania crash had hit the Capitol, we might very well have lost 
that entire committee. There are ironies in all of this.
  As we remember those who lost their lives, let us remember the threat 
of terror to our very way of life is taking place around the world.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, we are happy to yield back our time, and we 
are standing united across the political spectrum in our remembrance 
and in our determination; remembrance of the heroes and the victims, 
and determination that we shall defend this Nation against all enemies.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution 
that will recognize tomorrow, September 11, 2007 as a national Day of 
Remembrance. I want to join all of my colleagues in extending our 
sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives on September 
11, 2001.
  None of us will forget that horrific day 6 years ago when, in the 
face of this Nation's worst tragedy, America pulled together to 
reaffirm our commitment to freedom and democracy.
  We will also never forget the heroic actions of our first responders 
who risked and sacrificed their lives to save their fellow Americans on 
that day. Yet our first responders were not the only heroes that day.
  Office workers, airplane passengers, and ordinary citizens also 
showed the true spirit of America by assisting their co-workers to 
evacuate burning buildings and preventing a hijacked plane from being 
used as a weapon against our country.
  Finally, I commend the heroic service provided by our Armed Services 
in battling the forces of terrorism around the world.
  Whether the mission is engaging al Qaeda and the Taliban in the 
mountains of Afghanistan or transporting food and shelter to victims of 
the tsunami near Indonesia, our military has proved again and again to 
be worthy of our praise and admiration. At great risk to their own 
personal safety, our service members have bravely acted on our behalf 
to protect our national security and to build goodwill throughout the 
world.
  As Members of Congress, we debate the issues confronting our Nation 
on a daily basis. By supporting this resolution, however, I hope that 
all of my colleagues will join me in reaffirming our commitment to 
defending the people of the United States against any and all future 
challenges.
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I am missing today's vote on 
the resolution recognizing September 11, 2001 as a day of remembrance 
as well as the September 11 remembrance ceremony this evening.
  I am currently on a Congressional Delegation to the Middle East to 
observe the tribal areas along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, 
where the 9/11 hijackers were trained, and where key al Qaeda bases and 
some of al Qaeda's most dangerous leaders are still operating, to learn 
more about the progress we are making in eradicating terror cells in 
the region.
  Touring this region on the anniversary of this tragic day in our 
Nation's history is a powerful reminder of the valor and sacrifices of 
our men and women on the ground in Afghanistan who put themselves in 
harm's way every day to protect our country and our people.
  On this day, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to heal from September 11, 
2001, we remember those lost on that day, the heroism of our first 
responders, and the spirit of unity and patriotism this tragedy ignited 
in our country. Let us honor those lost by continuing to work together 
to protect and defend liberty, tolerance, and democracy.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 643, 
the September 11 resolution. I honor the memory of those who died on 
September 11 and extend sympathies to their family members and to those 
who lost their lives trying to save lives. And I support the troops.
  I believe the best way to honor the memory of those who died on 
September 11 is to tell the truth of what the Administration did in the 
wake of September 11. The Bush Administration launched a war against 
Iraq, conflating the true tragedy of September 11 with lies about 
weapons of mass destruction.
  On this, the sixth anniversary of September 11, it is important that 
Congress wake up to the truth and exercise its obligation under the 
Constitution to save our Nation from being destroyed from the lies that 
took us into Iraq, the lies that keep us there, the lies that are being 
used to set the stage for war against Iran and the lies that have 
undermined our basic civil liberties here at home. The September 11 
resolution that Congress considers today should have made reference to 
those matters. It does not, so I cannot support it.
  This Administration long ago politicized the September 11 attacks, 
distorted it, and dishonored it. If Congress really wanted to honor the 
memory of those who died on September 11, we would cause the full truth 
to be told to the American people. If Congress really supported our 
troops we would bring them home and not provide more funding for the 
war.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, on the morning of September 11, 2001, nearly 
3,000 innocent men, women, and children were murdered when Islamic 
terrorists hijacked and crashed four civilian aircraft.
  This resolution recognizes September 11 as both a day to remember 
those taken from their families and loved ones--and a day for Americans 
to recommit to the nation and to each other.

[[Page 24091]]

  We pay tribute to the heroic service, actions, and sacrifices of 
first responders, law enforcement personnel, state and local officials, 
volunteers, and others who aided the innocent victims and bravely 
risked their own lives and health.
  And we rise to give thanks to the foreign leaders and citizens of all 
nations who have assisted and continue to stand in solidarity with the 
United States against terrorism in the aftermath of these terrible 
attacks.
  Mr. Speaker, we will never forget those who lost their lives on 
September 11, 2001.
  The House remains committed to defeating terrorists and their 
supporters who threaten the United States and to providing our armed 
forces with the resources and support to do so effectively and safely.
  Let us honor the victims of 9/11, and reaffirm our commitment to 
defending America from those who would do us harm.
  Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, on the sixth anniversary of the 
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, I am honored and humbled to 
support a resolution to honor the victims of that terrible day. I ask 
that this House also pause to honor America's troops, who even now risk 
their lives to prevent the horror of September 11th from ever striking 
again, and our first responders, who willingly face danger to protect 
our safety.
  On September 11th, our Nation experienced a grief broader than any 
we'd known before, one that reached beyond individuals and families, 
beyond even cities and States. For a few weeks in 2001, our country was 
united in mourning. We grieved for 3,000 souls abruptly taken, for a 
Nation forever changed, for an innocence forever lost.
  Tragedy has a way of bringing people together. It doesn't minimize 
our differences; it magnifies what we have in common. It reminds us 
that, above all else, we are all Americans. As the days since September 
11th continue to tick by, I hope we remember not only the grief of that 
day but also that extraordinary sense of community. Even 6 years later, 
we still grieve together for our fallen. We still pray together for our 
soldiers. We are--and will remain--one Nation, under God, with liberty 
and justice for all.
  I support the resolution that so eloquently states the House of 
Representatives gratitude for those that protect us and remind us never 
to forget that terrible day.
  May God continue to bless the United States of America.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the over 3,000 victims who died in the September 11 attacks on America; 
and I wish to pay tribute to all the family members of those who 
perished, as well as to our public officials, businesses, and private 
citizens who have dedicated themselves to the rebuilding of a stronger 
Nation.
  As we contemplate the effects of September 11th and extend our 
deepest sympathy to those who lost their loved ones on that fateful 
day, let us resolve to build not just a more vigilant and stronger 
homeland defense, but a society that continues to protect our personal 
freedoms and would enable us to fulfill the American dream of liberty 
and justice for all.
  And in pursuit of this goal, let us, Mr. Speaker, continue to be able 
to sing: ``O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, 
for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain. America, 
America, God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with 
brotherhood from sea to shining sea.''
  God bless America.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 was 
truly one of America's darkest days. Terrorists using airplanes as 
weapons brought unimaginable horror to our homeland. Yet in the face of 
such tragedy, heroes emerged. Police officers, firefighters, emergency 
personnel and countless other American patriots helped their fellow 
countrymen survive that day and continue to make sure we never forget 
those lost that day. These American heroes brought out the best in 
human nature in response to an attack that brought out the worst in 
human nature.
  Since coming to Congress, I've had the great pleasure to work closely 
with two of these American heroes. Peter Gadiel and Joan Molinaro, 
united by the loss of their children who fell victim on that fateful 
day and the great anger over why this Nation couldn't stop it from 
happening, joined together and helped create an organization called 9/
11 Families for a Secure America to help right the wrong that allowed 
terrorists to kill over 3,000 Americans 6 years ago.
  Peter and Joan carry with them the voice of their children everyday, 
in everything they do, to ensure another tragedy of this magnitude 
never happens again to another son, daughter, father, mother, husband, 
or wife.
  It is the purpose of 9/11 Families for a Secure America to inform and 
educate the American public, elected officials and legislators of the 
obvious and not so obvious shortcomings in our Nation's security. To 
focus their attention on the dangers of unsecured borders and lax 
immigration enforcement. They make sure the public understands that 
illegal immigration and terrorism are inseparable issues. The ultimate 
goal of 9/11 Families for a Secure America is to prevent future 
terrorist attacks and to secure our Nation for generations to come 
because terrorists cannot plan and carry out attacks in the United 
States if they are unable to enter the country.
  As we recognize and give remembrance to all those that lost their 
life on September 11, 2001, lets not forget the loved ones of these 
victims and the pain and sacrifice they've had to endure from their 
loss. Lets honor heroes like Peter Gadiel and Joan Molinaro who work 
tirelessly to ensure that another terrorist attack never happens again 
to another of America's children.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to 
commemorate the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America.
  Though it has been six years since that fateful day, time cannot 
diminish the memories of those lost. Six years ago tomorrow, America 
was struck by an unspeakable tragedy that shook the foundations of our 
society and changed our Nation forever. On September 11, 2001, we saw 
the very face of evil. And on that day and every day since, we have 
felt the heartbeat of America.
  The people of this country responded as never before, and our 
government also responded. We have been reminded of the service and 
sacrifice of Americans who are ordinary and extraordinary at the same 
time. Americans from all comers of our country and in North Carolina 
have given of themselves to help the victims' families. Our neighbors 
and friends have been deployed to Afghanistan and elsewhere to fight 
for our freedom. Our police officers, firefighters, EMS and other first 
responders have shown selfless devotion every day on our streets and in 
our communities.
  I applaud all of those who are serving or who have served in defense 
of America and our interests. They have responded with professionalism, 
precision and when needed, force, to root out the cowardly perpetrators 
and protect Americans and our interests both here and abroad. Let us 
continue to pray for the safe return of those who are still in harm's 
way and honor and thank those who have given their lives.
  We also must honor those thousands of innocent people who lost their 
lives that day and remember the bravery and sacrifice of the fire 
fighters, law enforcement officers and rescue worked who worked 
feverishly to save them, some of whom still suffer ill effects from 
that effort. Though somewhat eased by the passage of time, the grief of 
a nation still smolders.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this resolution.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow will mark six years to a day of 
inconceivable terror and grief brought upon our Nation by the very 
worst acts of humankind. It was also a day where we witnessed the very 
best of America. We saw first responders entering buildings to save 
their fellow citizens knowing full well that their lives were in 
danger, yet doing so without reservation. We saw concerned Americans 
standing in lines to donate blood for their fallen neighbors. We saw 
our Nation come together with one voice and one spirit, in that day of 
terror we saw our Nation more united than any point in our history.
  Our hearts go out to the families of all the victims of that terrible 
day. We will forever remain saddened by the tragic loss of human life. 
What happened to our Nation six years ago was an unspeakable act of war 
on the very foundation of what makes us American. What happened on that 
day was an assault on thousands of innocent people who were enjoying 
the very freedom we hold so dear.
  Truly, we mourn the victims of September 11th, but today, six years 
after those attacks we can also celebrate the lives of those who were 
lost to us on that fateful day. They were truly representative of the 
diversity and richness of character in our Nation. The victims of 
September 11th hailed from almost every state in our union, they came 
from countries throughout the globe, emblematic of the rich tapestry 
that is the hallmark of our people. On that day, those victims and 
indeed all of us, were not divided along racial or religious lines, on 
that day more than any other, we were Americans united by our common 
values of life, liberty and justice.
  Six years ago tomorrow our first responders struck the first blow in 
the War on Terror. By refusing to consider their lives before others, 
they drew a stark contrast to the terrorists of

[[Page 24092]]

September 11th who refused to even value their own lives before taking 
the lives of so many innocent human beings. Those first responders 
refused to bow to the fear that the terrorists hoped to instill in our 
minds on that day. They refused to despair in the face of the greatest 
attack upon our Nation, instead they charged forward. They not only 
saved lives on that day, but their selfless acts inspired the psyche of 
every American, their acts of heroism inspired our Nation to action.
  Now six years later from September 11th, I fear we have lost much of 
the unity that came to define that day. Truly the heroism of September 
11th continues today, with more than 3,800 Americans who have given 
their lives fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But at home we 
have allowed politics to come between us, we have allowed ourselves to 
be divided in the face of a continuing War on Terror. But I remain 
hopeful that the spirit we saw on September 11th is still present in 
all of us. We must rekindle the firm resolve we had on that day, it was 
a resolve not simply founded by the attacks upon our Nation by a group 
of terrorists, but built by our collective belief in the greatness of 
our Nation and its ideals. We must remain a beacon for freedom and 
integrity throughout the world, but all efforts must start at home. Six 
years ago we suffered the worst day of our collective lives, but I hope 
that today we have turned the pain of September 11th into a new calling 
for our Nation.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, in 1774, Thomas Jefferson wrote: ``The God 
who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force 
may destroy, but cannot disjoin them.'' Though our Nation had yet to be 
formed, a sense of unity was already ingrained in the hearts and minds 
of future Americans. Beginning during our Nation's formative years and 
continuing today, many have looked to us in awe, inspired by the 
strength of our sense of patriotism, particularly in the face of 
adversity and animosity.
  Six years ago, the world watched in horror as tragedy struck in New 
York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. From the moment the first airplane 
struck the first tower, America was changed. We were awakened to a new 
sense of vulnerability that continues to shape our Nation. But what we 
have learned from this tragic experience extends beyond those early 
hours of shock and uncertainty.
  September 11th brought momentarily to the forefront those anonymous 
heroes who stand among us every day. From the firefighters who died in 
the line of duty, to the airline passengers who fought back, to the 
bystanders who put aside their own fears and sprang into action, a new 
generation saw firsthand the incredible power of the American spirit.
  Across the country, strangers became neighbors and communities became 
families. Drawn together in fear and confusion, the American people 
found solace and comfort in their fellow man. Their selfless acts 
turned one of our Nation's darkest days into one of our Nation's finest 
hours. And today, we are stronger because of it.
  As we pause to remember the lives that were lost on September 11th, 
we must give thanks to the doctors, nurses, first-responders, National 
Guardsmen, and American troops who spend each day protecting liberty at 
home and abroad. These brave men and women put their lives on the line 
in noble service to our country. Their generosity, compassion, and 
determination embody the values our Founding Fathers fought to 
safeguard more than 200 years ago.
  On September 11, 2001, our Nation was brought to its knees with 
grief. But on September 12, we rose again, and stood united. In a few 
tragic hours, America said goodbye to 2,998 friends and family members, 
but, with a reawakened American spirit, we welcomed 281 million 
strangers into our homes and our hearts.
  I can think of no more fitting tribute to the lives that were lost on 
that sad September day than to take this time, on this day, to remember 
the best of America and to renew our commitment to ensuring that no 
force will ever ``destroy or disjoin'' us.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, it has been six years since 
September 11, 2001 when radical Islamic terrorists attacked and 
murdered nearly 3,000 of our fellow Americans.
  On that horrible day the seriousness of the terrorist's war against 
us became clear. Because of their hatred of our freedom and liberty--
these deranged individuals would murder innocent men, women and 
children to make their point.
  On that day our hearts were broken--and for many who lost friends and 
loved ones on that fateful day their hearts will never be mended.
  In the days immediately following 9/11 our Nation was unified.
  Unified in the resolve to strike back against those who murdered our 
fellow Americans.
  Unified to do what was necessary to defend our citizens from future 
attacks.
  Unified to defend our freedom and to stamp out those who would seek 
to take it from us.
  Unfortunately, since that time our unity has faded, but the danger 
has not.
  The terrorist's war against us is not about a single American 
President or ideology. The focus of the terrorist's hatred is every 
American.
  On this sixth anniversary of that horrific day every American should 
reflect upon that day and its place in our Nation's history.
  One thing is certain--freedom is not free. And free people face a 
constant challenge to preserve that freedom.
  The terrorist's war against us is a profound test of our ability to 
preserve the liberty we hold so dear. Our commitment to meet that 
challenge must rise above petty politics. We must return to the unity 
of the days following 9/11 because this war is long from over and the 
danger is real.
  I have no doubts about the capabilities of our great Nation.
  We threw off tyranny to proclaim our independence behind the idea 
that all men are created equal.
  We made that idea a reality by fighting a civil war to bring freedom 
to every American.
  We sustained our freedom through two world wars and a cold war.
  Through it all America has stood tall.
  America has stood for freedom.
  And just as we stood together on 9/11 we must stand together today to 
ensure that the horrors of that day become even more distant memories 
and the future is a place where every American can enjoy the benefits 
of our hard won and tenaciously defended freedom.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the eve of the 6th 
anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States of 
America that occurred on September 11, 2001, in support of House 
Resolution 643, and to join my colleagues in mourning the victims of 
those attacks and to commend all of those who displayed courage and 
heroism in the face of such a catastrophe that day and in the days that 
followed.
  Residents of New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, 
Pennsylvania, awoke six years ago to a day marked by cloudless, blue 
skies and fair, late-summer weather. Within hours, Americans--joined by 
citizens of virtually all of the world's countries--witnessed the 
senseless killing of over 3,000 innocent victims in the most horrific 
terrorist attack in modern history.
  Today, we remember those who perished on September 11, 2001. In doing 
so, we offer our continued support and heartfelt prayers to their 
families and loved ones. We also offer our deepest compassion and 
understanding to those individuals who bear the physical, mental, and 
emotional scars of having survived the attacks. We remember the 
victims, the survivors, the first responders, and the families touched 
by these tragedies. We remember, and we resolve to always carry the 
lessons of 9/11 as we work to prevent another attack and to bring 
justice to all who are responsible for perpetrating this act of 
terrorism.
  The people of Guam join our fellow citizens across the country in 
recognizing tomorrow as a Day of Remembrance.
  God Bless the United States. God Bless Guam.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. 
Res. 643. I support this resolution because although six years have 
passed since that fateful, horrific day, the pain and agony and sense 
of loss still endures in the hearts and minds of the American people. 
More than 3,000 of our countrymen had the fullness of their lives 
snatched away from their families, their friends, and the communities 
they loved and that loved them. We can never forget what happened that 
day to the victims. Or to those who sacrificed their lives to save 
them. Or to our country, which suffered a wound to the body politic 
unlike any in previous history. And in remembering what happened to us 
six years ago, we are reminded what we must do now and in the future to 
redeem all of the lives lost that fateful day.
  Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, the Nation watched in horror as 
the World Trade Center was transformed into a human inferno that 
claimed thousands of innocent lives. 9/11 was a despicable act of 
faceless cowards who have no respect for human life. Across the United 
States and around the world, people of all ages and walks of life 
collectively united during a time of tremendous sorrow and despair. It 
was an unforgettable day that transformed the lives of many and united 
Americans in a way this Nation had not seen since World War II.
  Mr. Speaker, during this commemoration Americans turn toward each 
other. We seek to

[[Page 24093]]

embrace, we seek to love, we still mourn the nearly 3,000 Americans 
whose lives were viciously taken on September 11, 2001. I stand before 
this House today simply to offer my deepest sympathy and that of my 
constituents of the 18th Congressional District of the State of Texas.
  Six years ago, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks on our 
country, many brave people heroically, tirelessly, and courageously 
participated in an extraordinarily difficult and dangerous rescue and 
recovery effort, in many cases voluntarily putting their own well-being 
at risk. Others jeopardized their lives to bring the terrorist to 
justice or to bring justice to the terrorized.
  The war in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom was a just war. An 
attack on one, was an attack on all. It was an attack on our way of 
life. It was an attack on our deepest and most cherished beliefs. It 
was an attack on the freedom and liberty embedded in the foundation of 
this Nation. Since that memorable day our war efforts have been 
deferred from its original purpose and many lives lost have yet to 
receive justice. Six years later and Osama bin Laden still roams free. 
American blood and treasure are being depleted for a country unyielding 
to change.
  As Operation Enduring Freedom showed, a united America can never be 
defeated. The indomitable Armed Forces of the United States swiftly 
toppled the Taliban and liberated Afghanistan and was hard on the heels 
of Osama bin Laden, who was trapped in Tora Bora. But before they could 
bring this mass murderer to justice, they were inexplicably diverted to 
Iraq, where the President had launched a new war against an enemy that 
posed no immediate threat to the security of America and had no 
involvement in the attack of September 11. In dividing our Armed Forces 
between Afghanistan and Iraq, this Administration divided the American 
people and alienated friendly nations who were helping us to win the 
Global War on Terror.
  Mr. Speaker, we will do everything in our power to prevent a tragedy 
like 9/11 from ever occurring again. Americans will not live in fear of 
a terrorist like Osama bin Laden. First responders should and will be 
equipped with all the tools necessary to meet the needs of the American 
people. Thus, today we celebrate the unsung heroes, and the families 
who survived them, and rededicate ourselves to protecting and securing 
the lives of the American people from any future threats.
  So horrific and traumatic were the events of September 11 that is 
engraved in our minds as well as our hearts. A day when time literally 
stood still and people from all walks of life came together. A day 
where many of us can vividly recall exactly where we were and what we 
were doing. September 11 was a day that shook the whole world 
witnessed.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout the history of the United States there have 
been few events that have had transformative impact on the people of 
the country. For my parents' generation the death of President Franklin 
Roosevelt was such an occasion. For my generation, the assassination of 
President Kennedy in 1963 is a moment that lives with us forever. The 
explosion of the Shuttle Challenger in 1986 left a traumatic and 
indelible impression on my children's generation. The morning of 
September 11, 2001 is a day all living Americans will remember forever.
  Today, six years later, my heart still grieves for those who perished 
on flights United Airlines 93, American Airlines 77, American Airlines 
11, and United Airlines 175. When the sun rose on the morning of 
September 11, we were all oblivious to the devastation that would later 
plague the Nation. None of us knew that it would end in an inferno in 
the magnificent World Trade Center Towers in New York City and the 
Pentagon and in the grassy fields of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. How I 
wish we could have hugged and kissed and held each of the victims one 
last time.
  I stand here remembering those who still suffer, whose hearts still 
ache over the loss of so many innocent and interrupted lives. My prayer 
is that those who lost a father, a mother, a husband, a wife, a child, 
or a friend will in the days and years ahead take comfort in the 
certain knowledge that they have gone on to claim the greatest prize, a 
place in the Lord's loving arms. And down here on the ground, their 
memory will never be forgotten.
  We will always remember September 11 as the day that brought the 
whole world together. Many people lost their loved ones. Mr. Speaker, 
as hard as it is to believe, out of a tragedy so overwhelming and 
horrific, something good and great emerged. In the midst of September 
11, there were no Republicans or Democrats. There were no Northerners 
or Southerners or West or East Coasters. We were not Red State or Blue 
State. We were all simply Americans. On that day, we were united in our 
shock and anger and sadness. More importantly, we were united in our 
resolve to defend our country and protect the freedoms that have made 
America the greatest country in the history of the world.
  As we continue to pray for the families of the victims and reflect 
upon that defining moment in our history, we are inspired by the fact 
that we are a people determined to defend our way of life. But for the 
better part of six years, we had allowed ourselves to be held hostage 
by the fear and anger that overwhelmed us on September 11. Over time 
hearts have healed and a new sense of hope and security has developed 
amongst the people of this Nation. Since that horrific day many lives 
have continued to be sacrificed and it is time to bring our troops home 
and unite once more as a Nation that serves as the home of the brave 
and the free.
  As we move forward we hold true to the fact that 9/11 is a day that 
we will never forget. September 11 will never and should never be just 
another day in the hearts and minds of all people of the United States; 
but rather a day to reflect on the lives lost and the undying hope that 
prevails within the hearts and minds of the American people. Although 
the future is uncertain we can hold true to the strong will and 
compassion that united our Nation during a day meant to divide and 
destroy us. We, the 110th Congress have an obligation to protect the 
American people from harm and ensure that a tragedy such as 9/11 never 
happens again.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe all Americans want their country to remain 
safe, free, and invulnerable to another cowardly attack like the one we 
experienced six years ago. We owe that much to the Americans who lost 
and gave their lives. We owe it to them to ensure that their children 
and loved ones will never again experience such pain, suffering, and 
loss. We can do this. We must do this. But to bring this new future 
into being, we need a new direction from the present course.
  I urge all members to join me in supporting H. Res. 643.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of 
the tragic events that took place on September 11, 2001. On that crisp 
fall morning, we lost nearly 3,000 American lives in an event that 
shook this Nation to its core, violently searing the depths of our 
consciousness.
  Six years removed from that infamous day, we continue to mourn the 
victims, praise the first responders' heroics and seek out our enemies 
who committed such heinous, inhuman acts. It is still hard to 
comprehend what could drive someone to take their own life in order to 
kill others.
  What we do know is that the forces propelling the destruction and 
devastation of 9/11 were hatred, intolerance and fanaticism. 
Understanding what triggers this fervor of hate and how to mitigate its 
ascension is the key to ensuring our Nation's long term security.
  As we continue to move forward from 9/11, the importance of well 
equipped, highly trained first responders and a robust but 
constitutionally balanced intelligence gathering apparatus remains 
paramount to our homeland security.
  The immediate and heroic emergency response to the attacks on the 
Pentagon from Arlington County's fire and police departments remind us 
that localities--not just the Federal Government--will play the 
integral role in any and all homeland security efforts. Further, sound 
intelligence and the regularity today with which law enforcement and 
agencies share intelligence across jurisdictional boundaries, which has 
proven difficult in the past, will lower the possibility of future 
attacks. Complacency is not an option, but the progress we've made in 
these areas has put us on the right track.
  Mr. Speaker, coming to terms with the realities of a post-9/11 world 
has been difficult for our Nation. But to honor the lives of those lost 
and protect our current and future generations it is our responsibility 
to continue doing everything within our power--in line with our values 
as Americans--to ensure that a tragedy of this magnitude never occurs 
again.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, six years ago, America awoke on a sunny 
Tuesday morning to learn we were under attack. Today, we once again 
pause to reflect upon those who lost their lives that day, and those 
they left behind. We remember the bravery of the firefighters, 
policemen, emergency responders, and volunteers who charged up the 
stairs of the twin towers or into the inferno of the Pentagon. We 
remember the passengers on Flight 93, whose sacrifice in the fields of 
Pennsylvania saved countless lives elsewhere. We remember the ordinary 
Americans who gave something of themselves that day or in the weeks 
that followed, by volunteering at ground zero, by giving blood, or 
donating money.
  As we think about that day, and the way it changed us all, we must 
also ask ourselves

[[Page 24094]]

whether we have done enough to honor the memories of the many victims 
of the attacks. I am pleased that on this September 11, Congress can 
finally say that it passed legislation to implement the recommendations 
of the independent bipartisan 9/11 Commission. However, we cannot be 
complacent, and must continue to improve the security of our ports, 
borders, and other critical infrastructure. Finally, as Osama Bin 
Laden's latest video reminds us, those who perpetrated the September 
11th attacks are still at large. We must ensure that our military has 
the resources it needs to track down those responsible for the attacks.
  As Americans gather to remember September 11, 2001, let us reflect 
upon the fact that on a day that will be remembered as one of the worst 
for America, Americans were at their best. Maintaining the spirit of 
unity that brought us together in the aftermath of those attacks is 
perhaps the way that we can best honor the memories of those who died.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, six years have passed since America lost our 
innocence and terrorism struck at the root of our Nation's soil. I rise 
today in strong support of H. Res. 643, which recognizes September 11 
as a day of remembrance.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a New Yorker, born and bred. I love our city. I was 
in New York when this tragedy occurred. I would often say to my 
children when we were in New York, look at the skyline, look at the 
World Trade Center. It was so invigorating. It makes me feel so 
wonderful just to be in this city, the city I love, the city in which I 
was born.
  We New Yorkers are a tough breed; but I have to tell my colleagues, 
six years ago when I drove over the George Washington Bridge to return 
to Washington and I took a look at the Manhattan skyline and saw the 
Twin Towers were not there, in its place I saw only smoke and fire and 
it deeply affected me.
  Mr. Speaker, when I think of the victims, the men, women and children 
who lost their lives; the firemen, the policemen who went there to save 
people's lives, and lost their lives, I am saddened. People who went to 
work, like millions of people across our great country go to work to 
earn a living to support their families, they went to work and so many 
were killed by terrorists for simply going about their daily lives. 
Some of these were my constituents and their families continue to mourn 
this great loss.
  Six years later we have far more to do. The terrorist ringleader, 
Osama bin Laden remains on the lam. We also know many of those brave 
individuals who sought to rescue and then recover the victims of this 
tragedy, are now becoming ill due to exposure to environmental toxins 
at Ground Zero. Today these brave volunteers, area residents and 
students still lack a comprehensive federal plan to provide treatment 
and monitoring of their ailments. This is unconscionable.
  I am proud to join with my NY Colleagues this week to introduce the 
9/11 Health and Compensation Act. This bill would ensure that everyone 
exposed to the Ground Zero toxins has a right to be medically monitored 
and all that are sick have a right to treatment. It would also 
rightfully provide compensation for loss by reopening the 9/11 
Compensation Fund.
  Today, I feel sorrow in our remembrance of the tragedy of 9/11. We 
will never forget what happened that day. But we must look forward and 
right the wrongs our Nation has perpetuated against our own heroes and 
provide them with the care and compensation they so desperately 
deserve. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Americans to pause and reflect on the 
tremendous loss of life that day, and how so many sacrificed so much 
for their fellow Americans.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, on this sixth anniversary of the terrorist 
attacks of September 11, 2001, we, as a Nation, honor the memories of 
the nearly 3,000 Americans who were killed on that tragic day. However, 
honoring their memories requires more of us than simply remembering and 
celebrating the lives of the victims of those horrific acts of 
violence. To truly honor their memories we, as a Nation, must recommit 
ourselves to ensuring that such acts never happen again.
  The House of Representatives stepped up to meet this challenge by 
passing a sweeping security bill within the first 100 hours of the new 
Congress and ushering it into law on August 3, 2007. This 9/11 bill 
finally enacts the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission 
2\1/2\ years after they were made and 6 years after the terrorist 
attacks. This comprehensive legislation is long overdue but will make 
our Nation stronger, our cities and towns more secure, and our families 
safer.
  Six years after the attacks of September 11, America's coastal cities 
are still dangerously vulnerable to a devastating attack. A nuclear 
weapon smuggled into the port of a large U.S. city could kill millions. 
However, only 5 percent of U.S.-bound containers are scanned before 
they leave overseas ports. The 9/11 bill makes millions of Americans 
safer by requiring that 100 percent of U.S.-bound seaborne containers 
are scanned before leaving foreign ports within 5 years.
  Six years after the attacks on September 11, millions of American air 
travelers remain at risk because almost 3 million tons of air cargo 
that is transported each year on passenger airplanes remains 
unscreened. This is outrageous. The 9/11 bill ensures better protection 
for American families by mandating that 100 percent of cargo on all 
aircrafts undergo screening within 3 years.
  Six years after the attacks on September 11, it is shameful that most 
first responders across the country, including those in Los Angeles, 
still do not have the critical communications equipment necessary to do 
their jobs effectively. The 9/11 bill finally makes first responders a 
priority, ensuring that they get the interoperable communications 
equipment they require by creating a stand-alone grant program at the 
Department of Homeland Security, authorized at $400 million a year.
  A comprehensive approach to ensuring homeland security, the 9/11 bill 
takes many critical steps that are necessary to keep America more 
secure from terrorist attacks. These include:
  Authorizing over $4 billion to improve rail and mass transit security 
over the next 4 years;
  Ensuring that high-risk areas receive adequate homeland security 
funding;
  Aggressively preventing terrorist travel;
  Adequately funding important programs that prevent terrorists from 
acquiring WMD;
  Better protecting our critical infrastructure and;
  Strengthening intelligence and information sharing with local law 
enforcement.
  The 9/11 bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation 
enacted by the new Congress. Long overdue, this bill better protects 
America from the threat of terrorism by finally enacting the 
recommendations made by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission a full 2\1/2\ 
years after they were issued. Now, Congress owes it to the American 
people to perform strong oversight over the Department of Homeland 
Security to make certain that it implements the bill's critical 
provisions. On this anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the 
American people have the commitment of the new Congress to take 
whatever steps necessary to further protect our country.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I join every American in 
remembering September 11 and the victims who so tragically lost their 
lives in an unspeakable act of violence. We all grieve with the 
families they left behind and are deeply grateful for the rescue 
workers and ordinary citizens that displayed extraordinary humanity and 
bravery.
  We owe it to them to make our Nation and the world safer.
  The new Democratic majority in Congress is bringing about effective 
change in the way our Nation confronts the threat of terror. The recent 
passage into law of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations was an 
important, though overdue, step to making our homeland more secure.
  But those who lost their lives or put themselves in harm's way on 9/
11 deserve more. The administration's ill-advised war in Iraq 
undermines a significant opportunity to bring Osama bin Laden and the 
real perpetrators to justice. It is my hope that we as a Congress will 
work together to reverse this course and refocus our efforts. We still 
have much work to do to recover from this tragedy, to protect our 
liberty, and to regain our credibility and stature in the eyes of the 
world.
  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the anniversary of 
September 11, 2001. It was a day that our enemies had hoped to show 
America's weakness, but instead showed our enormous strength and our 
enduring commitment to the values on which this Nation was founded.
  The tragedies that unfolded in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania 
on September 11 took the lives of nearly 3000 individuals, Americans 
and others. These men, women, and children were killed because they 
lived in a country where toleration, freedom, and compassion are 
guiding principles. Many of those lost were brave first-responders who 
entered burning buildings, selflessly placing the interest of strangers 
above their own. All those who were killed that day left voids in the 
hearts of their families and communities. But their memory and spirit 
continue to endure in us all, and reinforce our commitment to the 
freedoms and ideas for which they died.
  Moreover, everyday since September 11, tens of thousands of Americans 
work tirelessly in our communities to prevent terrorist attacks from 
happening again. Our hospitals, fire departments, and law enforcement 
officials all have redefined their mission to protect, prepare, and 
respond as part of the War on Terror. Meanwhile, overseas the brave 
members

[[Page 24095]]

of the American military and intelligence community continue to pursue 
and destroy terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and the Taliban.
  Mr. Speaker, September 11 was a defining day in the history of the 
United States. Although we lost many great Americans, our Nation united 
in a cause to honor their memory and win the long-term struggle against 
terrorism. And in this struggle, we will win while protecting the 
freedom and way of life for which our enemies fight us. We continue to 
honor the memory of those lost and we strive to do them justice.
  Mr. SHULER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember one of our Nation's 
darkest days, and one of its finest hours.
  None of us will ever forget the tragic events of September 11, 2001. 
Nor will we ever forget the images of firefighters, police officers, 
emergency medical technicians, and other first responders placing 
themselves in harm's way at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We 
will never forget the passengers of United Flight 93, whose heroism may 
well have saved the United States Capitol. We will never forget the way 
this Nation joined in prayer and determination in the days which 
followed. And we will never forget the outpouring of support from our 
friends throughout the world.
  In my home in western North Carolina, young men and women answered 
the challenge of a nation thrown suddenly into war, as new volunteers 
signed up for the Armed Forces, and reservists and Guardsmen readied 
for deployment. In the 6 years which followed, these brave citizens and 
their families have sacrificed through multiple deployments and 
hazardous service in Afghanistan, Iraq, and throughout the world. Since 
that time, many have been wounded, and 6 young men from my district 
have made the ultimate sacrifice. The thoughts and prayers of a 
grateful nation will always be with them and their families.
  In the years since that tragic September day, our Nation has stepped 
up its vigilance at home and abroad. I am proud of the efforts of our 
local law enforcement officials to improve training and expertise in 
our communities to identify potential threats and prevent any future 
attacks. I would also like to recognize all of those who stand guard in 
our Nation's intelligence and Federal law enforcement communities, and 
all Americans serving abroad to reduce the conditions that breed 
terrorism and to increase hope in distant lands.
  This Congress has taken the important steps of implementing the 
recommendations of the 9-11 Commission and enhancing homeland security 
efforts, however there is still work to be done. Our ports remain 
vulnerable, and our borders remain porous. Hurricane Katrina exposed 
serious problems with our Nation's disaster response mechanisms, and it 
is unclear how far we have come in fixing those problems. I am 
committed to working with my colleagues to address these problems and 
ensure the safety of all Americans.
  So today we remember, as we look forward. I join with all my 
colleagues in today in honoring the memory of those who lost their 
lives on September 11th, remembering those who have sacrificed 
defending our Nation since that day, and praying for those who continue 
to serve our Nation today.
  Mr. FORTUNO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep sorrow to 
the families and friends of the nearly 3,000 men and women who perished 
in the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001. On this day 6 years 
ago, our great country was attacked. Yet, the terrorists were not 
seeking our money or our land. They were out to destroy what we stand 
for: Freedom, democracy, and the American dream. It seems we have come 
a long way since that dreadful September morning; yet, on a daily 
basis, we live with the memory of all those who passed away.
  Today, Americans remember the courage and bravery we witnessed from 
the countless civilians, police officers and firefighters who fought 
the terrorists and ran into the destroyed buildings while many others 
would have run from them. We will never forget these heroes for giving 
their lives so they may save the lives of others and the freedom of 
all.
  I join my fellow Members of Congress, not as a Republican or a 
Democrat, but as a proud American, in expressing our sincere gratitude 
to those who showed us the true spirit of our Nation.
  May God bless them and continue to bless our men and women overseas 
who fight for the principles we stood for.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be in Washington, DC on 
September 10, 2007 when the House considered H. Res. 643, commemorating 
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I ask that the Record 
reflect that had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 
vote No. 866.
  It is hard to believe that 6 years have passed since that fateful day 
when terrorists struck the World Trade Center in my district in New 
York, and hijacked planes that crashed into the Pentagon and in 
Pennsylvania. September 11th exposed significant vulnerabilities in our 
homeland security, and much of the last 6 years has been spent trying 
to fill these holes and make us more secure.
  I am proud of the progress we have made to address homeland security, 
Earlier this year, Congress passed H.R. 1 finally implementing all of 
the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Included in that bill was a 
provision I championed to fill the gaps in our port security system. 
This provision requires that within five years every shipping container 
must be scanned before coming to the United States so that terrorists 
cannot smuggle deadly weapons into this country through our ports. H.R. 
1 also created a new rail and transit security program, increased risk-
based homeland security grant funding, included measures to secure 
loose nuclear material overseas, and required 100 percent screening of 
air cargo.
  Despite the progress that has been made, we still have not fulfilled 
our moral obligation to the victims of the September 11th terrorist 
attack, which includes not just the people who live and work and go to 
school in the area around Ground Zero, but also the emergency response 
workers who came from all over the country to aid in the recovery and 
who are now sick as a result of exposure to World Trade Center toxic 
dust.
  This week, I, along with Congresswoman Maloney and Congressman 
Fossella introduced essential, new legislation that ensures that 
everyone exposed to World Trade Center toxins, no matter where they may 
live now or in the future, would have a right to high-quality medical 
monitoring and treatment, and access to a re-opened Victim Compensation 
Fund for their losses. Whether you are a first responder who toiled 
without proper protection; or an area resident, worker or student who 
was caught in the plume or subject to ongoing indoor contamination; if 
you were harmed by 
9/11, you would be eligible. This bill builds on the best ideas brought 
to Congress thus far and on the infrastructure already in place 
providing critical treatment and monitoring.
  What is also troubling is that 6 years have passed, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency has yet to conduct a comprehensive 
testing and cleanup program to remove World Trade Center dust from area 
buildings. A recent GAO report confirms the horrible reality that to 
this day, due to their negligence and inaction, the EPA cannot say with 
certainty that even a single building in the area is free of World 
Trade Center contamination. As such, we cannot know how many more 
people will become sick because of lingering environmental toxins in 
their homes, workplaces and schools. The Administration must act 
immediately to design and implement a new, proper testing and cleaning 
program.
  For many of us, the effects of 9/11 are always present in our hearts 
and minds. But I hope that the 9/11 anniversary will serve as a 
reminder to others that we must fulfill our moral obligation to remove 
the threat of 9/11 contamination and to provide health care for those 
who are sick as a result of it. My colleagues and I will not stop 
fighting until this obligation is met.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to voice my full support for H. 
Res. 643, recognizing September 11 as a day of remembrance, extending 
sympathies to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and 
their families, honoring the heroic actions of our Nation's first 
responders and Armed Forces, and reaffirming the commitment to 
defending the people of the United States against any and all future 
challenges.
  Six years after that infamous day, the emotional scars are still laid 
bare for millions of Americans. While many of our citizens lost 
families members, friends, and loved ones in the attacks of that day, 
we all lost the sense of safety and security that we had enjoyed before 
the greatest terrorist attack ever on American soil.
  I am proud of how we came together as a Nation and stood united 
against those who would do us harm after the reality of what had 
happened sank in. Indeed, I cannot remember another singular event that 
caused that type of wholehearted solidarity, not only between all 
Americans, but between all citizens from around the world who stood 
with the United States against evil and tyranny after that fateful day.
  Mr. Speaker, this is what makes it even that much more heartbreaking 
today, that we have squandered much of the compassion and goodwill 
towards our great country with the actions that the Administration 
instigated following September 11th. Instead of finding Osama Bin Laden 
and finishing the job against the Taliban in Afghanistan, we foolishly 
invaded another sovereign nation that

[[Page 24096]]

had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks, and one that had never 
threatened our country.
  Instead of capitalizing on the goodwill that was genuinely felt by 
citizens around the globe to help us fight terrorism and mark a new 
beginning in global cooperation and friendship, the President instead 
turned compassion and empathy into resentment and antipathy towards the 
United States by attacking another country without provocation or 
cause.
  Mr. Speaker, it is our job as Representatives of this great country 
to repeal this failed policy of preemptive war. We must begin the 
business of uniting this country and winning the hearts and minds of 
the citizens of the world. America must regain its place as the leader 
of the free world, not through brute force and military might, but with 
the characteristics that put us there in the first place: compassion, 
generosity, empathy, and humility. In doing this we can ensure that 
those who died on 9/11 did not do so in vain, and we can ensure that 
those who sought to topple our great democracy and shake the American 
spirit have only succeeded in doing the very opposite.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 643.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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