[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[EXT]
[Page 13871]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 ATTACKS ON THE UNITED 
                                 STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 11, 2012

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, today we mark the 11th Anniversary of the 
September 11 attacks on the United States. While we have moved more 
than a decade beyond that tragedy, the attacks remain an indelible part 
of our memory. Truly, no one who lived through that day will ever 
forget it--the horrendous loss of life, the bravery of our first 
responders, the sense of unity that followed--and it falls to us to 
ensure that future generations understand the magnitude of the event.
  This is particularly so as other events impact our view of how we 
have reacted to 9/11. The capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden and 
the removal of our troops from Iraq can be seen as turn-the-corner 
moments in the war on terror, but the daily hard work of our military 
and intelligence community must continue--we must remain vigilant. I 
remember feeling that day and the days that followed that we were in 
uncharted territory as a nation. As a country and a society, we are 
learning as we go, adjusting and adapting to the new realities that 9/
11 brought upon us and that have ensued since, such as the Arab Spring.
  This process can be bumpy, and is ever changing, as we continue to 
weigh the appropriate balance in our security and foreign policy 
decisions. What is clear is that we continue to owe a tremendous debt 
of gratitude to our troops, who risk all in Afghanistan and elsewhere 
to protect our freedom, and our intelligence professionals, who are 
also on the front lines of our defense, making critical decisions that 
keep us safe every day.
  More than anything, 11 years later, 9/11 underscores what it means to 
be an American, where we come together during even the toughest times, 
weather the storm and move forward. That is what 9/11 means to me, and 
that is the lesson that will endure for the ages, for all to see.

                          ____________________