Recognizing September 11 as a Day of Remembrance

RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 11 AS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE -- (House of Representatives - September 10, 2007)

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, the Members who rise tonight to speak on this important legislation do so not as Democrats or as Republicans, but as one, as Americans united in the defense of the great Nation and the ideals for which it stands: Freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.

Six years ago, as all of us know, on September 11, 2001, it is a day, Mr. Speaker, that none of us will ever forget as long as we live. September 11 is seared into the American consciousness, much like December 7, 1941, and November 22, 1963, as a day of infamy, a day of unspeakable horror, a day of unmitigated evil, and yes, a day of incredible heroism.

On this eve of the sixth anniversary of September 11, this resolution, jointly introduced by myself as the majority leader and by Mr. Boehner as the Republican leader, recognizes this as a day of remembrance and resolve.

We remember the nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children who lost their lives on September 11. And we extend, once again, our sympathies to their families, friends, and loved ones.

We honor the courage and heroic actions, service and sacrifice of our first responders; firemen, policemen, medical personnel, as well as our valiant servicemen and women who now are in harm's way thousands of miles from this Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, you will recall with me that 343 members of the New York Fire Department lost their lives on that day, in addition to the thousands of people who lost their lives in the two towers. Twenty-three New York policemen lost their lives, and 37 officers of the Port Authority of New York lost their lives on that day.

We must remember, however, that what they did, along with their colleagues in the fire department, the police department and the Port Authority Police, was saved tens of thousands of people who got out of the buildings before they collapsed. We lost people, of course, in the Pentagon as well, people from my district and districts throughout this country.

Today, we reaffirm our commitment to defending the American people against any and all future challenges. I mentioned the Pentagon. I mentioned the World Trade Center. But a plane that perhaps, Mr. Speaker, was flying towards this Capitol, or perhaps the White House, was taken down by some brave Americans who learned what was happening that day through their cell phones. And they resolved, on that day, to give the last measure of devotion to their country by giving their lives that that plane might not reach its target but crash in the fields of Pennsylvania.

As this resolution states, Mr. Speaker, we remain steadfast in our determination to disrupt, dismantle and defeat terrorist organizations, and we will harness all elements of our national power: military, economic, diplomatic, and, yes, moral, to effect that defeat.

In the aftermath of September 11, Americans, awakened to the threat of international terrorism, collectively declared, Never again. And, over the last 6 years, thousands of Americans have worked tirelessly to improve our Nation's security and to protect our people.

Have we done enough? No. Do we need to do more? Yes. However, this Congress has passed, and the President has signed, numerous laws to assist victims, combat terrorism, protect our homeland and to support the members of our Armed Forces who defend our interests at home and abroad.

Perhaps none of these measures has been more important than the passage this year of H.R. 1, legislation implementing the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. Among other things, this legislation requires 100 percent screening of cargo on passenger aircraft and 100 percent screening of seaborne cargo before it gets to U.S. ports. It ensures that first responders can communicate with each other, improves rail and mass transit security, and seeks to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

Without question, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1 will help us harden our defenses and combat terrorism. However, no one should be mistaken: legislation alone cannot immunize our Nation from attack.

In fact, as the Chairs of the 9/11 Commission wrote just yesterday in The Washington Post: ``Six years later, we are safer in a narrow sense: we have not been attacked, and our defenses are better.'' But, as they point out, Mr. Speaker: ``We still have a long way to go.''

It is therefore appropriate that we pass this resolution of remembrance. But it also must be a resolution of resolve that we will not allow the situation that existed on 9/11 to be maintained and, in fact, we have not. We are stronger; but as Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Kean pointed out, not yet strong enough.

Tonight, Mr. Speaker, let us recognize September 11 as a solemn reminder of our vulnerability. Let us also be reminded that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave, and the terrorists who sought to break our spirit only clarified our purpose and steeled our resolve. Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless our great country.

I have talked to a reporter just a few minutes ago. That reporter, Max Cacas, was listening to Leader Gephardt and Speaker Hastert on that September 11, 2001, on the Capitol steps, state our resolve. Then, Mr. Speaker, you may recall, the Members spontaneously sang ``God Bless America.'' It was a prayer and it was a resolve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this very important resolution.

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