Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007

IMPLEMENTING THE 9/11 COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS ACT OF 2007

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1, a long awaited legislative package that will finally fulfill our duty to protect the people of our nation by fully implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

After months of careful investigation into the security weakness that led to the 9/11 attacks, the bipartisan and independent 9/11 Commission proposed a series of reforms necessary to secure our country and prevent future terrorist attacks. These recommendations addressed a number of areas, including revamping the way we fund homeland security, preventing nuclear materials and WMD from falling in the worst hands, and targeting the root causes of terrorism. Yet, despite bipartisan public support for their work, 20 of the Commission's 41 recommendations--nearly half--have gone unfulfilled.

Over the past two years, the 9/11 Commission has rated Congress' implementation of their recommendations with failing grades. Protecting the American people is the primary responsibility of our government, and I am proud that one of the first bills considered by the new Congress is the implementation of all of the 9/11 recommendations. This bill meets our duty to protect the nation we serve by requiring the scanning of all air and maritime cargo, increasing resources that will enable our first responders to communicate with each other in times of crisis, and ensuring that we distribute our homeland security funding where it is needed the most.

I am particularly grateful that this bill increases our commitment to preventing the worst weapons from falling into the worst hands. During public forums on nuclear nonproliferation I have hosted in the past year at St. Joseph College and Trinity College, many of my constituents expressed their concerns about nuclear materials falling into the hands of terrorists. That threat to our nation is real, and this bill fulfills the 9/11 Commission recommendation to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and strengthen our nonproliferation programs around the world.

More than sixty Connecticut residents lost their lives on that tragic September day in 2001. Over five years later, we owe it to them and their families to finally implement these measures and ensure that such a day will never happen again.

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