Fighting Terrorism Around the World

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to offer my deepest sympathies and condolences from the citizens of Ohio's Ninth Congressional District to the people of France, our longstanding brothers and sisters in liberty. To all whose loved ones were killed or hurt in the barbaric attacks in Paris last weekend, we offer our prayers of comfort and consolation.

Our sincerest thanks are extended to the law enforcement officials who bravely brought order, the health officials who ministered to those who tragically lost their lives, and to the hundreds suffering injury.

Around the world, freedom-loving people are repeating the words of La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France. This powerful song of liberty against tyranny roused that nation when it was written at the start of the French Revolution, just a few years after America's own fight for liberty.

One verse seems especially appropriate to recite tonight. Translated into English, it says: Sacred love of the Fatherland: Liberty, cherished liberty, fight with thy defenders. Fight with thy defenders.

This is a message for the world today. America is fighting alongside those who defend liberty. Surely, France.

We stand with those who fight for liberty--Combats avec tes defenseurs.

The American people have long cherished and defended the spirit of liberty alongside the people of France, and there is no greater symbol of that in our harbor, New York Harbor, than the Statue of Liberty, which reminds us always of the triumph of freedom over subjugated people.

In modern times, France has been a founding member of NATO and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and we will work together to defeat this enemy as we have together defeated Nazism, communism, and now, as well, this new threat.

We will have the finest intelligence assets that our nations have placed on the ground in countries around the world.

We have used our intelligence assets here at home to keep out and prevent those who would harm our people from coming inside our borders. We always worry. We keep trying to make the security even better. But we have come a long way since 9/11.

Each American can play an important role by reporting suspect behavior they observe, and you can help our law enforcement officials ferret out dangerous elements that could prey upon our own people.

On the home front, every citizen can help by paying attention to what you see and, if suspicious, report it to your local law enforcement officials and, in an emergency, to 911.

Also important is strengthening the bonds of community, at home, at work, at school. Build bridges in your own community, including religious confessions. Let's build bridges across religious confessions in this country. Let no denomination feel isolated or abandoned at this tense time.

We stand with the people of France. We feel their loss. We stand with you as partners in liberty and forever keep in our hearts the enduring call: Liberty, equality, and fraternity--liberte, egalite, fraternite.

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