WASHINGTON, DC – On Saturday, the nation will observe the third anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania. Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) issued the following statement:
“On this third anniversary of the September 11th attacks against the United States, we remember those who were lost and try to focus on the blessing of their lives, rather than the tragedy of their deaths.
“We know better now that time does not heal all wounds. It does not fill in the holes in our lives left by fathers, mothers, siblings, spouses, children, and friends who never came home. The families of September 11th still mourn, and our hearts still break with their pain.
“September 11th was an attack on our community. But it was more than that – it was a direct assault on our sense of security and our way of life. We have been forced to face the reality that the values we cherish and the very freedoms that define the American way of life have left us vulnerable to the monstrous intentions of terrorists who wish to destroy our country.
“In the last three years, we have strived toward a single goal: to make our nation safer while preserving our American values and traditions. Congress has played an important role in this effort.
“We have made progress, but we have not yet achieved our goals. The September 11th Commission report, released in July, highlighted a number of areas that require further attention, and we must waste no time in implementing these recommendations.
“As a member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, I have been fighting to enact common-sense laws that will enhance America’s security and ensure those who are sworn to protect us can do their jobs effectively. I continue to fight to further improve security at our nation’s airports, advocating for the physical screening of the nearly one million airport workers who can now access airplanes without even passing through a metal detector. I continue to fight to make sure that federal homeland security dollars are distributed based on threat and need, so our first responders have the resources they need to keep our community, and New York, safe. Through my seat on the Appropriations Committee, I have helped police and fire departments in our community purchase equipment and undergo training to ensure they are ready to do their jobs. And I have introduced legislation that would help our police, firefighters, and other emergency workers communicate with each other seamlessly in the event of another incident – a simple step that could have saved lives and eased confusion on September 11th.
“Let us continue to honor the memories of the dead, and the pain of the living, by doing our utmost to ensure no American family ever has to experience such anguish again. And let us keep the families of the victims of September 11th in our prayers.”
