The horrors of that day spurred a dramatic realignment of legislative priorities to address a dangerous new reality in world affairs. In my Washington office, watching the news reports roll across the television screen, I knew at that moment that the focus of my energy, and that of my colleagues, would never be the same.

Through collective shock and mourning, our resolve was immediately set to stand against this evil. I will always remember ending that horrific day with my colleagues on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, singing God Bless America. Nor will I forget arriving at my office the very next morning to find my entire staff assembled, ready to continue our work on behalf of the citizens of Kentucky’s Second District.

After 9/11, the President set forth a new doctrine: Nations that harbor or support terrorists are as guilty as the terrorists themselves, and will be held to account for their actions.  Not enough was done during the 1990s to expose and crush the nascent roots of this and other terrorist plots in their infancy.  Today, we must stand with President Bush in rooting out terrorists and the governments that support them, recognizing them as enemy combattants who have launched repeated acts of war demanding our aggressive military response.

Though the horrors of that day may fade with time, the threat to our nation and way of life is no less real today than it was five years ago. America is safer, but still not safe. There is no doubt that demanding tasks lie ahead for the U.S. and our allies, but we are making progress in fronts around the world to ensure that networks of terror do no have the resources to attack us again. Our country owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, whose dedication, patriotism, and bravery are combating terrorists and helping to advance freedom and democracy around the world.

Five years later, we no longer have smoky embers and twisted beams of metal to remind us of the devastating capabilities of terrorism. As the recent arrests in Great Britain illustrate, however, terrorists remain as committed as ever to launching another attack against the United States.  And so, on this anniversary, we must recommit ourselves not only to fight against terror but also against complacency.

As your representative in Congress, my most important objective is to do all that I can to defend our freedom and protect the American way of life. This is a noble and necessary cause worth fighting in distant lands, in the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in tough diplomatic negotiation sessions with rogue regimes in Iran and North Korea.