Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This resolution marks the ninth anniversary of the unprovoked attack on our Nation by individuals without conscience and on behalf of masters without mercy.

Those who witnessed the events of September 11 will always remember the inconceivable images and seemingly impossible events that unfolded before our own eyes. But however painful our own memories may be, they cannot compare with the suffering of the innocents who bore the horror directly, nor with those of their families and friends whose lives were torn apart without any warning.

Our purpose here is to honor and remember the victims and the many heroes of that endless day, September 11, 2001. We honor the thousands of innocent men, women and children who were targeted and murdered simply because they were Americans or because they embraced the concept of freedom and democracy. We honor those who, instead of being immobilized by fear, immediately began to search for and rescue survivors at great risk to themselves, many of whom lost their lives in their efforts to save many others.

We honor those in our military who have fought our enemies in distant lands and have borne heavy burdens to prevent them from striking us yet again. And even as I speak, men and women of our Armed Forces are fighting for us and for our country far from their homes in far-off lands. And it has affected many people, even here in Washington, D.C. and in the Congress and our staff. My own chief of staff has two sons that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Marine Corps, and there are many others as we speak today.

On September 11, we were forced to realize that what we had experienced was not really an isolated blow but instead only the latest assault in a war that radical Islamist militants had been waging against the United States for years.

We had already suffered many casualties over the preceding decades, but had not understood that these were in fact from a series of battles in an escalating war against the United States and a war against freedom. These include the taking of our embassy in Iran and the holding of American hostages for 444 days; the destruction of our embassy and marine barracks in Lebanon in the 1980s; the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993; the attacks on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996; and the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole and our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania also in the 1990s.

And at this very moment, our enemies are preparing to strike us again and with the same intent of slaughtering as many innocent people as they possibly can.

We cannot protect ourselves by hoping that somehow we will be spared new attacks, for these are certain to come unless we take action to prevent them. And we have done so.

Over the past 9 years, we have come to know our enemies, their plans, and their methods.

We are daily engaged and seeking them out, finding them in their hiding places and in their holes, uncovering their networks and eliminating their ability to harm us again. But our enemies have many allies and have sunk deep roots, roots that will not be easily destroyed. Victory will not be achieved in one decisive battle but through a sustained commitment that will stretch over many years. It will be fought in many different ways using the range of U.S. resources and capabilities and fought in many other places.

Some may shrink from that prospect; but, if we are to prevail over this enemy that is relentless in its hatred for us, our commitment to our Nation and the principles that we stand for, we must not only match but exceed their determination, the determination of our adversaries.

This is not really a war of choice but one that has been forced upon us by men whose dark vision of the world cannot be realized without first destroying America and our freedoms. Repeatedly throughout its history our country has been challenged by forces that at times seemed impossible to overcome. But however dark the unknowns we faced and however great our fears, we never shrank from our duty as a Nation, and we have always prevailed with the good Lord's help.

And on this day, let us remember those that we have lost, the many heroes with which we have been blessed, and those with whom our safety depends, and let us remember that they gave their lives for our country. And we should do our duty as all generations that have preceded us have done. And God bless this country now and always.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

Madam Speaker, in closing, everyone that was alive on September 11 remembers that day and what they were doing. It's like those of us that were alive when President Kennedy was assassinated. We remember that day, we remember what we were doing. And the old timers, they remember Pearl Harbor and what they were doing on December 7, 1941. It is a day that the country, that the people, that the Nation should always remember because it involved real people losing their lives because of the concepts that we have in this Nation of freedom and liberty, something that is worth preserving.

It's important that we remember the 3,000 individuals that died that day. But Madam Speaker, it's equally important that we remember those that got to live. Because when those Twin Towers were set aflame, those volunteers, those firefighters, those emergency medical folks and those police officers, they rushed as hard as they could to get to that terror from the sky. And because they did so, many got to live for another day. And there are countless stories like that that occurred on September 11, how Americans reacted remarkably and with bravery.

Another example. This morning I was at Arlington Cemetery with my daughter Kellee and her husband, Anthony Shoemaker, and we were at the Tomb of the Unknowns. And many Americans may not know, but the Tomb of the Unknowns is very close to the Pentagon. You can almost see it through the trees. And those soldiers, the Old Guard as they are called, that protect the Tomb of the Unknowns, they already knew about the two planes that had crashed into the World Trade Centers North and South.

And when that third plane came roaring across the skyline of Washington, D.C., headed straight for the Pentagon, just a few hundred yards from the Tomb of the Unknowns, those soldiers guarding the tomb never left their post. They stayed. In fact, they called for reinforcements. Yet another example of what Americans do when we are attacked.

And so we should remember those that died, those that got to live, and those that continue to fight for our freedoms today in places all over the world in the name of liberty and freedom.

And that's just the way it is.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

9/11 will remain a day of infamy, as December 7, 1941, lives. It will also live as a day that we will always remember, lament the loss of life, and rededicate ourselves to the defense of freedom.

As we did 9 years ago, today we stand united, one people--united in memory of the dead of September 11; united in awe at the heroic sacrifices that graced that dark day and so many since; and united in resolve to defend our Nation, its ideals, that animated spirit, defend its people, defend its shores.

September 11 was a day of grief, of shock, and of fear. But as we reflect back on the terror of that day, these things are within our power: to keep alive the names and memories of the dead--they were read in New York, in Virginia at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania--to reclaim the unity of a day on which neighbor reached out to neighbor and our divisions were submerged; and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals that, no less than buildings, were the targets of the attack. Ideals were under attack, like freedom, freedom of conscience; rule of law; and, yes, religious tolerance.

For those reasons, I am proud to introduce, along with the Republican leader, Mr. Boehner, this resolution commemorating the attack on America--its institutions, its values, its people.

For many, the shock of that day perhaps has faded. For some, however, especially those who loved and lost one of the 3,000, the grief is still fresh. But for all of us, the memory of September 11 is one we will carry with us, as I have said, as long as we live. It is a memory compounded of mourning for the victims, deep sympathy for those who held them dear; and profound pride for the first responders, firefighters, and police officers, and, yes, average citizens who came to the help of those in need. They served and they sacrificed--some their health, some their lives.

Terrorism is intended, of course, to provoke the worst in those it targets, but on that day their service showed America at its very best. So we remember. We remember in honor the 343 firefighters, 37 Port Authority officers, and 23 police officers who lost their lives along, of course, with the passengers on Flight 93.

How proud we can be of those passengers who learned what was happening, unlike most of us, unlike the people in the towers, unlike the people in the Pentagon. The brave Americans on Flight 93 knew what was happening, and they acted, and they gave their lives to save others who would have otherwise been targeted. And, yes, perhaps they saved this symbol of democracy. Many of us believe that is where Flight 93 was headed--to decapitate this Capitol. A building, yes, but a powerful symbol of the values of this country that are not just this country's but universal in scope.

We also honor those troops who have served far from home. They too have shown America at its best; not only those who have lost their lives in our country's service in Afghanistan and

Iraq, but all those who have served and are serving, as we speak, in harm's way, at the point of the spear, to make sure that any fanatics, whether they base their fanaticism on a faith or they base it on hate and prejudice, we will confront them. We will defeat them. We will protect our country. We will protect our people, and we will preserve our ideals. With their families, we pray for their safe return.

Not all of us can offer sacrifices so profound, but it does not have to be a day of crisis to join with our neighbors in service to our communities. It can be this day. Indeed, it can be every day.

As we commemorate the gravest attack in American history, we also renew our resolve in the face of those who still intend us harm. This is a day to remember our commitment to defend America from whatever threats that confront us and to use all of our military force, all of our diplomatic skill, and all of the power of our moral example to keep America safe.

Like the Cold War before it, this is a struggle not just of arms but of ideologies. And every demonstration that America is a fearless society, a Nation of law, and a home for every faith is a victory over the fanatics who attacked us or who might attack us. That is our resolve--not as Democrats or Republicans, not as Members of Congress, but as Americans who have pledged ourselves to defend the Constitution of the United States, the laws thereof, and, yes, its principles and ideals. This will be expressed in a vote in this House today. But in the courage of our troops, the watchfulness of our intelligence, and the power of free American citizens to live out the meaning of our ideals every day, that will be the testament of our victory and the display of our resolve.

I rise in strong support of this resolution and in memory of those whose lives were taken by fanatics targeting not those individuals, per se, but targeting that in which they believed.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1610) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launching against the United States on September 11, 2001.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this bipartisan resolution pays tribute to the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and recognizes the anniversary as not only a time of solemn commemoration, but also a demonstration of America's great resolve in combating terrorism.

Memorials like those at the Pentagon in northern Virginia and the Grove Garden in Fairfax County have been constructed throughout the region and the Nation to commemorate the events of 9/11. It is one of the many ways in which we continue to pay tribute to the people who perished on that fateful day.

This House resolution extends our enduring and deepest condolences to the friends, families, and loved ones of the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks and recognizes the heroism of U.S. service men and women who defend our country today. It honors the Nation's first responders and others whose valiant efforts did credit to their country on that horrible day and who continue to help keep us safe. It expresses gratitude to the leaders and citizens of other countries who assisted, supported and stood by the United States in the aftermath of those attacks.

Clearly, the threat of terrorism is still very real, but one of the lasting legacies of 9/11 has been the notion of being prepared for any type of emergency, whether it is a widespread event like a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, an epidemic, or even an individualized event, like a fire, car crash or power outage.

The events of 9/11 tested our abilities beyond our imagination, and a number of trying experiences since then have further honed our skills. In America's modern and fragmented society, collective memories are few, but each of us remembers where we were precisely on that fateful day when we heard the news.

This is a time when we must transcend partisan politics and stand together as one Nation to recall a moment when terrorists targeted the very symbols of America's strength.

Our values and our very foundation were under attack, and yet we persevered. And we will carry on the fight against extremists who seek to do us harm.

In this battle, the global realities of the 21st century require that we use not only our military, but all of the tools available to us-- economic, financial, diplomatic, and cultural resources--to promote a better alternative to extremism and to protect our national interests and our national security.

Madam Speaker, none of us will forget what happened 9 years ago. We will always remember the victims of 9/11 and the loved ones who survived them.

We will always honor the first responders who gave their lives that day, and those in uniform at home and abroad who risk their lives even now and every day to defend America. We will continue to promote our founding principles of freedom and equality and ensure that the lives lost in pursuit of our ideals are never forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished majority leader of the House of Representatives.

(Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, like many Members in this House, in the last week I attended numerous memorials, remembrances of the tragedy of 9/11. It's particularly poignant to northern Virginia because the other attack that day was at the Pentagon, which is in Arlington, Virginia.

At that time I was a local supervisor on the board of supervisors in Fairfax County, and my office was co-located at Fire Station 30 in Merrifield. And I remember firefighters in my station, men and women, backing up the Arlington Fire Department in trying to put out the fire and save lives at the Pentagon that day in the second-worst terrorist attack in American history, only sadly eclipsed by the loss of life at the World Trade Center itself. And I heard the stories and I saw the heroism firsthand, and it is something I certainly will never forget.

Let me just say to the friends and families of those who were lost that day and to those who would wish us harm: America will never forget, and America will never yield.

I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res 1610--a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. The legacy of the events of September 11, 2001 still resonates today. We will never forget the harrowing experience of the loss of more than 3,000 lives that marked this national tragedy. We will never forget the events of that day, nor those who paid the ultimate price. We will forever remember how the country suffered profound sadness, the likes of which we as a nation hope to never experience again.

Madam Speaker, I recall vividly the intense emotions evoked as the attacks unfolded. The nation watched in horror as two airliners crashed into the Twin Towers and brought down the World Trade Center. That horror intensified as we witnessed an attack on the Pentagon, and a crashed airplane in Pennsylvania. Horror turned to anger as it came to light that the attacks were the actions of hate-filled cowards who had no respect for human life. I remember too, that in the aftermath of these senseless attacks, we came together as a nation and with friends from around the world united in grief and sadness. That moment transformed our country and the world, as the resolve of our nation strengthened and our principles hardened.

We remember the heroes from that day; those who ran into the danger, sacrificing themselves to save strangers. They were the brave firefighters, police officers, and civil servants who died in the service of protecting others. We remember the heroes from United Flight 93 who overpowered the terrorists and gave their own lives to prevent the deaths of countless others. We hope that their families can take some small measure of comfort knowing that Americans have made a permanent place for those heroes in our hearts.

In Houston, we mourned the loss of two of our own: Naval Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Martin Caballero and Army Lieutenant Colonel Karen Wagner. Twenty-one-year-old Petty Officer Caballero was an electronics technician who had a bright life ahead of him. Forty-year- old Lt. Col. Wagner had a distinguished career as a medical personnel officer in the office of the Army surgeon general. Both lives were taken when United Flight 77 was steered into the Pentagon.

Madam Speaker, I ask that we also pay tribute today to those who have fought the wars borne from September 11th. In the years since that tragic day, our country has fought ardently to eliminate the enemies who would work to perpetuate the culture of fear and violence borne from 9/11.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, our Armed Forces demonstrate that a resolved and determined America will always prevail. The men and women of the U.S. military prove daily that their commitment to protecting and defending our country is steadfast. Let us remember those who fought and died while serving the country, let us honor those who continue to fight, and let us pledge our unending support for our soldiers and their families.

As Chairwoman of the Homeland Security Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee and a Senior Member of the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees, I believe that we must continue to honor the fallen by working to prevent needless deaths. In the years since September 11, 2001, Congress has worked hard to make sure that such a tragedy will never happen again. In large part, we have taken heed of the advice of the 9/11 Commission and built a strong system to prevent future attacks.

Madam Speaker, I rise before this body to say that our work is not yet done. Domestic terrorism is alive. Last year we witnessed both the Time Square and the Christmas Day failed terrorist attempt at Detroit- bound Flight 253. We must not let another tragedy occur.

Preventing terrorism at home begins with addressing terrorism abroad. We must engage nations that are susceptible to the influence of extremists and arm them with the tools to fight radicalism. That means not only providing weapons of war but also increasing education, improving living conditions, and increasing the capacity to govern. The struggle against terrorism will be won in the hearts and minds of people around the world.

Madam Speaker, I urge all members to join me in supporting H. Res. 1610. Let us remember this day and the tragedy that befell the nation by properly honoring the victims with our renewed commitment to America's security.

Madam Speaker, I rise to address H. Res. 1610 a resolution to express remembrance of the victims of, and sorrow for, the devastating effects the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 had on our Nation. I mourn in remembrance of innocent lives lost. And I mourn in recognition that our response to the attacks has only led to more suffering, countless innocent lives lost abroad and an increasingly divided Nation here at home.

This resolution expresses that the House of Representatives ``will continue to defend the people of the United States and to identify, intercept, and defeat terrorists, including providing the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, the diplomatic service, and the law enforcement and homeland security communities with the resources and support necessary to effectively accomplish this mission.'' But the actions of the U.S. that have been taken in the name of achieving this mission have not brought us ``mission accomplished.''

As Pentagon and administration officials continue to tout the supposed end of the war in Iraq, there is no mention of the continued systematic use of the 9/11 attacks to justify sending our armed forces to invade and occupy a country that did not attack us. Almost 8 years later, over 4,200 U.S. soldiers and 1 million Iraqi civilians have been killed.

How can we claim to remember the victims of 9/11 in good faith after we stood silent as billions of dollars were poured into a war based on lies? Congress continued its support of the war despite overwhelming evidence that the leaders or people of Iraq had nothing to do with 9/ 11. In the shadow of the policies pursued under the so-called ``War on Terror,'' our country remains more divided, more fearful and less trustful than ever. Perhaps even more troubling and more detrimental to our national security is the long-term damage our policies have had on our image in the international community. And in July of this year, the House of Representatives failed the victims of 9/11 yet again when it rejected legislation to provide health care for the first responders who rescued survivors of the attacks and who endure daily reminders of the attacks in the form of their failing health.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (now the longest war in U.S. history) serve as a daily reminder of the destructive path we have taken. We continue to dedicate billions of dollars to prop up a hopelessly corrupt and morally bankrupt central government in Afghanistan as the people of that country suffer with little education, access to clean water, health care and the ability to live a normal life. Here at home, our increasingly polarized communities bear the brunt of our missteps through record high unemployment rates, a continuing foreclosure crisis and crumbling infrastructure.

How long can the policies we continue to pursue be justified in the name of the victims of 9/11? I oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the PATRIOT Act because I believe in the transformative power of truth and reconciliation. Almost ten years after 9/11, it is past time to pursue a new path forward. Our country is in peril, but our resolve to progress in a positive direction must not be. We do not need to export democracy around the world to keep our country safe; we need to demonstrate that America is a place where democracy is safe.