Reflecting on 9/11

Statement

This week we will mark the ten-year anniversary of September 11th. Many of us remember exactly where we were on that day when we heard the terrible news. Like all Americans, I was horrified as I watched television coverage of commercial airliners being turned into missiles and flown into the World Trade Center.

A rumor quickly spread that a plane was headed toward the Capitol, and we evacuated as quickly as we could. I ended up back in the Capitol later that night answering constituent phone calls and trying to make sense of what little information was available.

People ask me if we are safer now than we were that day. The answer is yes. We have taken the fight to Al Qaeda. Osama Bin Laden and many of his top deputies have been brought to justice.

We have radically transformed the agencies that are responsible for protecting the homeland. We are much more aware of the threat and are focused on stopping it. It is an ongoing fight to stop terrorism though; we must remain vigilant every single day.

Ten years on, we remember those who lost their lives and the acts of bravery and self-sacrifice that horrific day. We remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country since that day. We remember the kindness of strangers and the feeling that what divides us was not nearly as big as what unites us.

We remember, because we vowed to never forget that day.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves

Source