Justice is Served: The Death of Osama bin Laden
Floor Speech
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Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his very kind words. I thank you for yielding your Special Order that you have practically every night that Congress is in session to talk about jobs for the American people and to, instead, allow us to use this time to come to the floor to say, ``Hail to the chief. Congratulations and thank you, President Obama. Many of us in Congress come together in appreciation of your leadership, your determination, and your commitment of resources in the fight against Osama bin Laden.''
I am pleased to join so many of my colleagues who have come to the floor to express their appreciation for this historic achievement. We all know that the death of Osama bin Laden is not the end of terrorism, but it is a significant step. It sends a clear message that the American people will pursue justice.
I would also like to express my gratitude to our former Congressman colleague but now Director of the CIA and soon to be the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta. He was tasked by the President and named by the President in his remarks on Sunday evening as the person who had the responsibility to get the job done.
Our colleague Congresswoman Jackson Lee has referenced the entire national security team, some specifically. I want to associate myself with her comments in that regard: the President's national security team and the Special Ops team--the men and women in uniform and our officers in the intelligence community. It is a testament to their professionalism, their precision, and their talent that no American lives were lost in this action; but it is indicative of, again, the contribution that they and their families make to help us uphold our oath of office to protect and defend. That's what we take an oath of office to do.
We recognize that this achievement was not just the goal of President Obama's, who said as candidate Obama and as President, If I have actionable intelligence on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, I will act upon them--and act upon them he did.
I called both former President George W. Bush and President Clinton to
thank them for their work in this regard. In the '90s, President Clinton declared Osama bin Laden to be America's ``public enemy number one.'' He saw that danger long before 9/11. Then, of course, following 9/11, President Bush tried to pursue Osama bin Laden. Their work was important, but I am here to commend President Obama in particular for executing the plan to get it done in recognition of the foundation that was laid by President Clinton and President Bush.
When we think of the symbol of Osama bin Laden and why bringing this to closure is so important, we are venturing onto sacred ground, 9/11--a shocking act of terrorism that affected our country very, very deeply, but none more deeply than the families who were affected by 9/11. We can never make them whole. We can never make up to them all that they have lost, but I hope it is some comfort to them that at least this has happened, however long it took. They used their grief for the greater good at the time by supporting the 9/11 Commission to investigate why this happened so endangering the lives of the American people would never happen again.
I commend the 9/11 families for their sacrifice, yes, for their patriotism, and for what they did to make a difference as we go into the future. Who knows? Maybe the work of the 9/11 Commission contributed to the success of this operation as well.
I know that our time is running out, and I just want to close, Mr. Speaker, by saying that our colleagues in the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution to honor those who so successfully carried out this mission, and I'd like to associate myself with the language of their resolution. It says in part:
``The death of Osama bin Laden represents a measure of justice and relief for the families and friends of the nearly 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, the men and women in the United States and around the world who have been killed by other al Qaeda-sponsored attacks, the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and the intelligence community who have sacrificed their lives pursuing Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda.''
As they said, the death of Osama bin Laden represents a measure of justice. With gratitude for this measure of justice, I again hail to the chief, President Obama, for his great work. I thank him and congratulate him and all who made this historic achievement possible.
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