Roskam Remembers September 11th

Statement

Today, Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) released the following statement on the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks:

"Today in cities and towns across the country, Americans pause and reflect how twelve years ago, our nation was forever changed by the terrorist attacks of September 11th. We remember the thousands of men and women who lost their lives in New York City, Washington, D.C. and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Today, and every day, we join with the families who mourn the loss of their loved ones and we honor the brave first responders who rushed into the burning Twin Towers, risking their own lives so that others might live.

"Twelve years ago terrorists sought to destroy our way of life and the freedoms we hold dear. But their brutal attack, meant to break the United States, brought our nation together in strengthened resolve. Stories of light during that dark day, of strangers helping one another escape the Twin Towers, of passengers defying their hijackers and downing their plane in order to spare countless lives on the ground, remind us of the very best of humanity.

"Each year, September 11th reminds us too that we live in a dangerous world. Today, the United States is confronted with an increasingly volatile Middle East, the resurgence of al Qaeda and terrorist organizations overseas, a brutal civil war in Syria, and threats that recently closed a dozen of our embassies throughout the Middle East and Africa. Today also marks the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attack on our consulate in Benghazi that took four American lives. Twelve years after September 11, 2001, terrorist organizations remain committed to attacking American and Western ideals, but also the safety and security of our people here at home and around the world. On this September 11th especially, we remember those famous words: that we maintain peace through strength and that weakness only invites aggression. Today we honor the victims of September 11th by not only promising to never forget, but also by recommitting ourselves to protect our homeland against those who threaten our people and our very way of life."

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