Memorial Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tsongas and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for rising in support of this bill.
Yesterday, on September 11th, in small towns and large cities and country fields, Americans paused to remember September 11th. I think there are two goals to each of these ceremonies, including the ones I participated in.
First, is to remember all those who have suffered so much because of the September 11th attacks; and second, is to rededicate ourselves to the promise that is America.
Those who have suffered so much; those who were killed that day; the families that have been affected by it; and all those who responded and worked on that pile that was so huge. We saw the pictures on the front of the newspaper. I went there the day afterwards. The pile was massive. It looked like little ants, the firefighters and police officers and EMS personnel, that were crawling through the debris--it was so gigantic--and the acrid smell that was there.
And every day we hear about other first responders who are dying of cancer related to 9/11 illnesses. We can never forget those who suffered that day and the people who worked so hard for months after that.
And second, we need to rededicate ourselves to the promise of America that the terrorists tried to take away from us.
This bill is an example of Democrats and Republicans working together to try and commemorate these brave souls. We need to remember that those who have gone off to foreign lands and have died on our behalf, have done so for freedom and democracy.
Freedom and democracy is nothing more than politics and government, and our politics and government have become too small, too petty, and too cynical. These are big issues that are life-and-death issues and we need to raise up the conversation in this country.
This bill is an example of working together to provide money so that people will continue to go to these facilities to remember the suffering that has been visited upon us, and to rededicate ourselves to the promise of America.
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