[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 13252-13253]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            REMEMBERING 9/11

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, Father Mychal Judge was a Catholic priest 
and chaplain of the New York Fire Department. On the morning of 
September 11, 2001, he rushed to where he was needed--to the World 
Trade Center. He was administering last rites to a fallen firefighter 
when he died amid falling debris from the towers. He is listed as 
victim 0001, the first recorded fatality of the attacks on America.
  A photo of an ash-covered firefighter carrying Father Mychal's body 
from the wreckage would become one of the most enduring photos of the 
attacks. Five years after his death, a documentary film about Father 
Mychal was released. It opens with an interview in which he says:

       You wonder what your last hour of life could be. Will I be 
     doing something for someone, trying to save a life?

  When we think of 9/11, we remember the shock and horror and the 
crushing grief. But we also remember the courage shown that day by the 
firefighters, po1ice, and first responders, by the passengers of United 
Flight 93, and so many others. We remember and honor all those who have 
continued to sacrifice to keep us safe, especially the more than 2 
million members of our military who have served in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. Sadly, more than 6,200 of them have given their lives in 
these wars, and nearly 46,000 have suffered serious wounds.
  We remember clearly the outpouring of compassion and common purpose 
that united us on 9/11 and for weeks after. Like Father Mychal, people 
across America reached out to help others in their time of need. Jay 
Winuk is trying to recapture that spirit of good will on this 10th 
anniversary of 
9/11. Jay's brother Glenn was an attorney in New York and an emergency 
medical technician with a volunteer fire department. He was at home on 
9/11 when the first plane hit. He rushed downtown to help evacuate 
people in his office building a block from the World Trade Center and 
then joined rescue efforts in the South Tower. He died in its collapse.
  On the first anniversary of the attacks, Jay Winuk launched an effort 
inspired by his brother's sacrifice. It is called MyGoodDeed. The folks 
at MyGoodDeed and other organizations are working to inspire at least 1 
million Americans to honor the victims and survivors of 9/11 by 
performing good deeds and charitable service in their memories this 
Sunday, the 10th anniversary. It would be, they say, the single largest 
day of charitable service in our Nation's history.
  There are service activities of every kind planned for Chicago and 
cities across America. If you are interested in lending a hand, you can 
go to www.911day.org. Other Americans in Illinois and across our Nation 
will spend part of Sunday in prayer and at community gatherings 
designed to build new bridges of understanding between people from 
different backgrounds and different faiths. I will be attending one of 
those gatherings on Sunday. I am sure many of my colleagues will as 
well.
  As Members of Congress, we also have an obligation to honor the 
victims and heroes of 9/11 in another way. In the early evening of 9/
11, Members of Congress came together on the steps of the Capitol and 
pledged to work together and to support President Bush in fighting 
terrorism. Three days later, we passed a supplemental appropriations 
bill to provide billions of dollars to clean up and rebuild the World 
Trade Center and the Pentagon and to help the victims and their 
families. That same day, Congress authorized President Bush to use 
``all necessary and appropriate force'' against those who participated 
in the terrorist attacks.
  Soon after that, we approved billions of dollars in aid the airline 
industry and more billions for the commercial insurance industry. We 
passed a major stimulus package, including tax cuts, to strengthen our 
battered economy and help workers who had lost jobs in the attacks. We 
agreed to put aside our differences on contentious issues and

[[Page 13253]]

work quickly, and work together, to help the American people and our 
economy in a time of crisis.
  Today, Americans are living with a different fear than we felt on 9/
11. They are concerned about how they are going to support their 
families. They are worried they might not find another job or lose the 
job they have. Middle-class families who have seen their home values 
plummet and their retirement savings halved in the last few years worry 
about how they will pay for the kids' college and whether they will be 
able to retire with even a little dignity and security. We need to 
demonstrate the same urgency and unity in repairing our economy as we 
showed in recovering from 9/11.
  Last night, President Obama came before Congress and laid out a 
responsible plan to create good jobs in America today, invest in our 
Nation's future, and reduce our deficit. I hope this Senate will give 
the President's plan prompt and fair consideration. We can negotiate. 
We can make adjustments and improvements. We can look at alternative 
plans. The only thing we can't do is nothing. To debate and delay 
endlessly while people are losing their jobs and their homes is 
inexcusable.
  Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives on September 11, and 
nearly 3,000 children lost a father or a mother. On this 10th 
anniversary of 9/11, I say to my congressional colleagues, both 
Democrats and Republicans: Let's sort through our differences--
honestly, fairly and quickly--and work together to get our economy back 
on track and Americans back to work. Let's preserve the American dream 
for the families of 9/11 and for all of America's families. That is how 
this Congress can honor the victims and heroes of 9/11.

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