Executive Calendar

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, 18 years ago today, Americans witnessed what evil looks like. Eighteen years ago today, Americans witnessed the loss of innocent life. Eighteen years ago today, Americans witnessed acts of cowardice.

Today, Montanans and Americans across our country are taking time to reflect upon the horrific acts of 9/11. Today, we take time to remember the thousands of lives lost on that horrible day. We remember the daughters who lost mothers, the sons who lost fathers, and the loved ones and friends and the communities that were broken by these tragedies.

I know I speak for most of us when I say that we remember that day like it was yesterday. That fateful morning, I was in Bozeman, MT. I typically like to get an earlier start at work. We are 2 hours behind eastern time. So it was early in the morning.

My wife Cindy called me. I was at my desk. I was working for a cloud- computing software company, just starting the day, and Cindy called me. She said: There is really strange news. There has been a plane that hit one of the World Trade Center towers.

I think many of us at that time thought it was maybe a small, private plane--sort of, kind of a strange bit of news coming out that morning. Then, as the minutes went by, we started finding out what was really going on, that it wasn't a small plane. It wasn't an accident. It was a 767 loaded with fuel because it was attempting to make a journey across our country from Boston out to the west coast.

The images of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers is one I will never forget, and it is one that will never stop hurting. I remember that after it was confirmed that it was a commercial aircraft, very quickly the speculation began that this was a premeditated terror attack. In moments like that you want to be with your loved ones. I quietly closed the door to my office, and I drove home to be with my wife and to be with family as we watched the rest of the horrible day unfold: 2,977 innocent Americans lost their lives, and 2,977 innocent Americans didn't return home that day.

I think it is important to think about every single human life that was lost and the pain of the families who remember that day today when they lost their loved ones. That pain is very real yet again today.

This was a slaughter of our fellow Americans that shook our Nation to its very core. Yet, in the face of extreme adversity, we are a nation that did come together and we carried on. I think about those moments when our churches and cathedrals were filled with Americans in prayer, reflecting upon what had happened.

Today, we honor and remember the almost 3,000 people who died that September morning. We remember the survivors, those first responders, the firefighters, and the friends and families of those we lost. While we take the time to remember today, we also reflect on who we are as a nation. As Americans, we are strong and resilient. After the 9/11 attacks, we responded with strength and we strengthened the homeland.

We are most grateful to those who served and to those who are serving today in our Armed Forces. Just recently, last December, I flew to Afghanistan. In fact, we carried 50 pounds of Montana beef jerky to deliver to the 495th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the Montana Army National Guard, who are deployed over in Afghanistan protecting us. As I received the briefs that day, I was reminded yet again that this war that we have against terrorism exists this very moment, and I can tell you this because of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, in intelligence, and in law enforcement across our Nation. It is because of them that we are able to stand here today without another terror attack like we saw on 9/11.

When I received the brief in Afghanistan in December, I was reminded again of the porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan and that there are plots being created and attempts to hit the homeland again. There are many brave men and women there, many Special Forces.

I spent time with the four-star there, Scott Miller, who has had a career in Special Forces. He is overseeing the operations there. I am grateful that they continue to remain vigilant in this fight against global terrorism.

America's enemies want us to be afraid, but the thing is, here in America, we don't give up. When America is strong, so are our allies and so is the free world. We must remain vigilant to ensure that we maintain that Reagan doctrine of peace through strength.

The world will never forget what happened on this day 18 years ago, and despite the political differences and divisions that we have across our country and this city, we must always remember that we are all in this together, and Americans are strong when we are united.

There is no force of evil or terror that will ever overcome the will and the determination of a free and united people.

We ask that God continue to bless our fighting men and women, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

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