[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10] [Senate] [Pages 13701-13702] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]REMEMBERING 9/11 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise in memory of an unspeakable tragedy that shook our great Nation free of the belief that we are an untouchable force in the modern world, 11 years ago today. Eleven years ago today an unspeakable tragedy shook our great Nation free of the belief that we are an untouchable force in the modern world. Today, as we honor the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Shanksville, PA, we must remember more than the pain and rage that followed the events of that Tuesday morning. I cannot help but compare that day to the morning of December 7, 1941, when Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, killing more than 2,400 sailors, soldiers, and civilians, and plunging our Nation into World War II. The bombing of Pearl Harbor moved me to put on the uniform and join thousands of my brothers in a fight that spanned across Europe and the Asia Pacific. Like Pearl Harbor, the events of September 11 forced our Nation to send troops into Afghanistan, and later it was used to help justify the invasion of Iraq. More than 6,000 of our brave men and women have died fighting in those countries, and, like World War II, the loss of life and American resources is staggering. These attacks on America, the wars that followed, and the aftermath where we searched for hope and dealt with the pain of loss, altered our national consciousness and fortified us for the future that we continue to work hard to build. To move forward, we must recognize that September 11 was a painful reminder that America must remain ever vigilant to the threats posed by foreign forces and those who abhor the freedom and equality that defines our great Nation. But most importantly, we have to understand the role America plays in the global community, and we must be respectful of our place and work hard to use what we have been blessed with to ensure that peace and good will reign, regardless of our differences. I speak from experience when I say that no matter the justification and no matter the final outcome, no nation, no people, escape from war unscathed. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, eleven years ago today, on a crisp early autumn morning much like today's, I was at the Supreme Court for the semiannual meeting of the Judicial Conference when I got word of the first attack of 9/11. I quietly informed Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who was presiding over our meeting. Soon afterward we heard a muffled ``bump,'' followed by a report that a car bomb may have gone off across town at the State Department. Of course, we later learned that this had been the sound of another plane, as it slammed into the Pentagon. I remember later that day, evacuating my staff from the Russell Senate Building. I remember crossing along the West Front of the Capitol as two fighter jets streaked up the Mall. I remember the unnatural stillness of a big city in shock, similar only to what I saw as a law student at Georgetown, when a pall descended over Washington after the news that President John F. Kennedy had been killed. At this morning's meeting of the Judicial Conference in that same room where we met 11 years ago on this date, several participants offered reflections about this somber anniversary. I noted that much of what holds our country together in times of crisis is the integrity of the three branches of our constitutional government. In recent times, for temporary political gain, there too often has been the temptation to tear down our foundational institutions, undermining the public's faith and confidence in our system. Over time, that cannot help but erode that foundation. I pointed out that this was why, the day after the attacks 11 years ago, each and every Senator made the effort to be in his or her seat in an unmistakable gesture of unity of purpose. We knew that we had to reopen this emblem and pillar of American democracy, and I was proud to be in my seat representing Vermont when the Senate convened for business that next morning. Over this past decade, as Americans we have gathered each year on this date to remember the thousands of innocent lives that were taken so casually and so callously on that terrible morning. We also remember and honor the brave first responders and military servicemembers who have lost their lives protecting and serving our country. It has been more than a year since President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had finally been brought to justice. Although his death will never heal the pain of the families who grieve their losses, we all hope that it will bring a degree of closure and a measure of solace to them, and to all Americans. In the aftermath of this tragedy, it became clear that changes to our intelligence and law enforcement agencies were needed to address the government's failure to connect the dots before the attacks. I have worked to ensure that Federal agencies have the tools they need to make our borders more secure, improve our intelligence gathering, track down terrorists and bring them to justice, in ways that are consistent with our laws and fundamental values. I firmly believe that we can keep our Nation safe without relinquishing our values. The last 11 years have further exposed the perversity and bankruptcy at the core of al-Qaida's philosophy and the resilient strength at the core of America's foundational principles. We are a people whose power is in our diversity, our principles, and our liberty. No attack on our shores has ever taken those from us, and no attack ever will. Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I remember, as many do, exactly where I was on this day 11 years ago. On that Tuesday morning the United States suffered a terrible attack that resulted in almost 3,000 immediate deaths. When we think of 9/11, we remember the shock, horror and feelings of helplessness. But as we reflect on that day, we also remember the outpouring of compassion and common purpose that united us then and in the days, weeks, and months that followed. We remember the courage shown by the firefighters, po1ice, and other first responders, by the passengers of United Flight 93, and by so many others. That day left us with a resolve to regroup, rebuild and recover while renewing our country's reputation as a world leader and symbol of freedom. Eleven years later, Americans have shown that our resolve cannot be broken. We remember and honor all those who have and continue to sacrifice to keep us safe, especially the more than 2 million members of our military who have served in the years since 9/11. We should also remember the spirit of unity and determination that followed in the weeks and months after [[Page 13702]] 9/11. We were not divided as Democrats and Republicans, we were Americans united in purpose. We would do well in these divisive campaigns to reflect on that unity as Americans and pledge to work together to advance the best interests of this great nation. On this day of remembrance to our fallen heroes, I urge all Alaskans and Americans across the country to join together in service to our neighbors and communities. Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts. Mr. President, although 11 years have passed since September 11, 2001, our hearts still ache for the families of the victims as we recall the horror and disbelief of that day. The attacks were a barbaric assault on our Nation's values, meant to crack the foundations of our civilization, strike fear in our hearts, and shake our resolve as a people. But the terrorists have failed in their twisted objectives, as we remain steadfast in our belief in the goodness of our Nation and her enduring ideals. We will never forget the tragedy of that day and the lives that were lost, just as we will never forget the sacrifices made by our troops to protect our freedoms. Today, we stand proudly as Americans first. Among the nearly 3,000 innocent lives taken in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, were more than 90 residents of my State of Massachusetts. In alphabetical order are those residents and more than 110 victims with close personal ties to the Commonwealth: Anna S. W. Allison of Stoneham, MA; Barbara Arestegui of Marston Mills, MA; Myra Joy Aronson of Charleston, MA; Garnet Edward Bailey of Lynnfield, MA; Christine Johnna Barbuto of Brookline, MA; Mark Lawrence Bavis of West Newton, MA; Graham Andrew Berkeley of Wellesley, MA; David W. Bernard of Chelmsford, MA; Kelly Ann Booms of Brookline, MA; John Brett Cahill of Wellesley, MA; Christoffer Mikael Carstanjen of Turner Falls, MA; Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey of Wellesley, MA; Jeffrey William Coombs of Abington, MA; John Corcoran of Norwell, MA; Tara Kathleen Creamer of Worcester, MA; Patrick J. Currivan of Winchester, MA; David DiMeglio of Wakefield, MA; Donald Americo DiTullio of Peabody, MA; Paige Farley- Hackel of Newton, MA; Alexander Milan Filipov of Concord, MA; Paul J. Friedman of Belmont, MA; Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe of Brookline, MA; Peter Allan Gay of Tewksbury, MA; Linda Mae George of Westboro, MA; and Edmund Glazer of Wellesley, MA. Lynn Catherine Goodchild of Attleboro, MA; Peter Morgan Goodrich of Sudbury, MA; Lisa Reinhard Fenn Gordenstein of Needham, MA; Douglas A. Gowell of Methuen, MA; Francis Grogan of Easton, MA; Maile Rachel Hale of Cambridge, MA; Christine Lee Hanson of Groton, MA; Peter Burton Hanson of Groton, MA; Sue Jue Kim Hanson of Groton, MA; Eric Smadikan Hartono of Boston, MA; Peter Paul Hashem of Tewksbury, MA; James E. Hayden of Westford, MA; Robert Jay Hayes of Amesbury, MA; Edward R. Hennessy, Jr. of Belmont, MA; Todd Russell Hill of Boston, MA; Cora Hidalgo Holland of Sudbury, MA; Herbert Wilson Homer of Milford, MA; John Nicholas Humber, Jr. of Newton, MA; Robert Adrian Jalbert of Swampscott, MA; John Charles Jenkins of Cambridge, MA; Charles Edward Jones of Bedford, MA; Robin L. Kaplan of Westboro, MA; Ralph Francis Kershaw of Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA; Brian Kevin Kinney of Lowell, MA; and Judy Camilla Larocque of Framingham, MA. Natalie Janis Lasden of Peabody, MA; Daniel M. Lewin of Brookline, MA; Sara Elizabeth Low of Boston, MA; Marianne MacFarlane of Revere, MA; Susan McAleney Mackay of Westford, MA; Karen Ann Martin of Danvers, MA; Joseph Mathai of Arlington, MA; Michael Gregory McGinty of Foxboro, MA; Deborah Medwig of Dedham, MA; Christopher Daniel Mello of Boston, MA; Carlos Alberto Montoya of Belmont, MA; Laura Lee DeFazio Morabito of Framingham, MA; Christopher Martel Morrison of Charleston, MA; Mildred Rose Naiman of Andover, MA; Kathleen Ann Nicosia of Winthrop, MA; John Ogonowski of Dracut, MA; Betty Ann Ong of Andover, MA; Jane M. Orth of Haverhill, MA; Sonia Mercedes Morales Puopolo of Dover, MA; Patrick J. Quigley, IV of Wellesley Hills, MA; David E. Retik of Needham, MA; Frederick Charles Rimmele, III of Marblehead, MA; Raymond J. Rocha of Malden, MA; Jean Destrehan Roger of Longmeadow, MA; and Philip Martin Rosenzweig of Acton, MA. Richard Barry Ross of Newton, MA; Jessica Leigh Sachs of Billerica, MA; Rahma Salie of Boston, MA; Jesus Sanchez of Hudson, MA; Jane Louise Simpkin of Wayland, MA; Heather Lee Smith of Boston, MA; Dianne Bullis Snyder of Westport, MA; Brian David Sweeney of Barnstable, MA; Madeline Amy Sweeney of Acton, MA; Michael Theodoridis of Boston, MA; Amy E. Toyen of Newton, MA; James Anthony Trentini of Everett, MA; Mary Trentini of Everett, MA; Antonio De Jesus Montoya Valdez of East Boston, MA; Kenneth E. Waldie of Methuen, MA; William Michael Weems of Marblehead, MA; Candace Lee Williams of Dorchester, MA; and Christopher Rudoph Zarba, Jr. of Hopkinton, MA. And, Mr. President, those victims with close personal ties to Massachusetts include: Stephen Adams, Gertrude Alagero, Japhet Aryee, Mark Bingham, Jeffrey D. Bittner, Susan L. Blair, Carol Marie Bouchard, Michael R. Canty, William Caspar, Swarna Chalasani, Stephen Cherry, Geoffrey William Cloud, Jeffrey D. Collman, Kevin Patrick Connors, Fredrick John Cox, Jr., Thelma Cuccinello, Dorothy deAraujo, Gerard DeConto, Manuel DelValle, Jr., Gerard Dewan, Simon Dhanani, Alberto Dominguez, Jamie Lynn Fallon, John R. Fisher, and Richard Fitzsimons. Carol Flyzik, Alan Friedlander, Thomas Edward Galvin, Douglas Gardner, Andrew Curry Green, Donald Freeman Greene, Philip T. Guza, Carl Hammond, Gerald Hardacre, Melissa Harrington-Hughes, John C. Hartz, Roberta Bernstein Heber, Norberto Hernandez, William Christopher Hunt, Erik Hans Isbrandtsen, Waleed J. Iskandar, Aaron J. Jacobs, Ariel L. Jacobs, Jason K. Jacobs, Gricelda E. Garo James, Amy Nicole Jarret, Joseph Jenkins Jr., Jennifer Lynn Kane, Robert M. Kaulfers, and Richard M. Keane. Barbara A. Keating, David P. Kovalcin, Kathryn L. LaBorie, Robert George LeBlanc, Dong Lee, Joseph A. Lenihan, Jeffrey LeVeen, Sean Patrick Lynch, Louis Neil Mariani, Kenneth J. Marino, Margaret Mattic, Kevin M. McCarthy, Julian Valentine McCourt, Ruth Clifford McCourt, Thomas F. McGuinness Jr., Gavin McMahon, Stuart Todd Meltzer, Raymond Joseph Metz, III, Martin P. Michelstein, Craig J. Miller, Brian Joseph Murphy, Shawn M. Nassaney, Laurie Olsen Neira, Renee Tetreault Newell, and Jacqueline Norton. Robert Norton, Leah E. Oliver, Seamus O'Neal, Marie Pappalardo, Robert Pattison, Thomas Nicolas Pecorelli, Todd D. Pelino, Berinthia Berenson Perkins, Jean Peterson, Dennis J. Pierce, Everett Proctor, III, Carrie Beth Progen, Jonathan Randall, Venesha Richards, Isaias Rivera, Waleska Martinez Rivera, Stephen L. Roach, Laura Rockefeller, Michael Craig Rothberg, James M. Roux, Matthew Carmen Sellito, Kathleen Shearer, Robert M. Shearer, Antoinette Sherman, and Timothy C. Stout. Edward W. Straub, Kevin T. Szocik, Leonard E. Taylor, Eric Thorpe, Alicia Titus, Daniel Trant, Tyler Ugolyn, Michael Augustine Uliano, Meta Fuller Waller, Stephen Ward, John L. Wenckus, Peter M. West, and Maudlyn A. White. ____________________