Expressing Sense Of The House Regarding September 11, 2001

Floor Speech

* Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 722, which marks the eighth anniversary of September 11, 2001 and solemnly recognizes the lives lost and the sacrifices made on that day.

* I want to commend Mr. HOYER and Mr. BOEHNER for bringing this bipartisan resolution to the floor.

* None of us will ever forget where we were and what we were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. The images of the planes hitting the World Trade Center towers, the smoke rising above the Pentagon, and the scattered remnants of flight 93 in that Shanksville, Pennsylvania field will forever be seared in our Nation's consciousness.

* This resolution affirms that we continue to mourn the innocent loss of life that occurred that horrific morning and extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to family and friends of the victims. It also pays tribute to the heroism of the first responders, law enforcement personnel, and ordinary citizens who rushed to the aid of their fellow Americans on that darkest of days.

* With this resolution, the House not only recognizes the extraordinary heroism of that day but acknowledges the significant strides we have made as a Nation to improve information sharing, strengthen our borders, and enhance our resilience. As a result, the United States is more secure today than it was on September 11, 2001. However, we must not lose sight of what still needs to be done or grow complacent about security. The nature of the terrorist threat demands vigilance at all levels of government and in our communities.

* Mr. Speaker, this anniversary represents an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to these efforts and H. Res. 722 is a fitting remembrance of how September 11 changed the course of our Nation's history.

* Let us never forget the lives that were lost and the lessons that were learned that day.

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