Published: September 9, 2020
National Day of Prayer and Remembrance
On September 13, 2001, President George W. Bush proclaimed a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001. In his remarks the following day at the National Cathedral (image right) President Bush said:
"It is said that adversity introduces us to ourselves. This is true of a nation, as well. In this trial, we have been reminded, and the world has seen, that our fellow Americans are generous and kind, resourceful and brave."
In 2002 Bush extended the observance over multiple days and each president since has continued to proclaim National Days of Prayer and Remembrance in the month of September.
Patriot Day
On December 18, 2001, President George W. Bush signed H.J. Res. 71 into law (115 Stat. 876, 36 U.S.C. 144) designating September 11 of each year as Patriot Day, an observance "in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001."
National Day of Service and Remembrance
September 11 is also annually recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance as designated in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act (123 Stat. 1460, 42 U.S.C. 12653), signed into law by President Obama in 2009. The law charges the Corporation for National and Community Service with organizing activities at the Federal level and providing grants and support to other organizations for carrying out and promoting service opportunities.
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9/11 Commission), was an independent, bipartisan commission established by Title VI of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (116 Stat. 2383, Statute Compilation*). The Commission was extended on March 16, 2004 (115 Stat. 556), and closed on August 21, 2004.
The Commission's final report, issued July 22, 2004, provides a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including preparedness for, and the immediate response to, the attacks. This edition has been designated as the only official U.S. Government edition of the Commission's final report. Visit the Commission's website, now frozen and managed on behalf of the National Archives, to learn more.
The National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted a building and fire safety investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster beginning in August 2002 under the authority of the National Construction Safety Team Act (116 Stat. 1471, 15 U.S.C. Chapter 99). The goal was to investigate the building construction, the materials used, and the technical conditions that contributed to the outcome of the WTC disaster, and the final reports were released in 2005 and 2008.
*A Statute Compilation is a compilation of the public law, as amended, is an unofficial document, and should not be cited as legal evidence of the law. Learn more.