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Washington, DC - This week, Americans will gather to commemorate the second anniversary of September 11th, and to remember the thousands of innocent men and women who lost their lives in the tragic events that took place in New York, Washington, DC, and over the skies of Pennsylvania. While we will always be saddened by those awful events, we can take pride in remembering how those events brought us together as Americans.
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We remember the incredible courage of our first responders -- the firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel who sacrificed their lives to save others.
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We remember the outpouring of support from all Americans – neighbors giving food, clothing and donations to families affected by the tragedies.
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We remember American flags flying from every car antenna, fire truck, office building and home.
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We remember individuals standing in line for hours to donate a pint of blood.
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We remember our leaders – Republicans and Democrats alike – standing together on the steps of our Capitol, singing “God Bless America.”
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We remember the aftermath in those weeks and months that followed. The war on terror and soldiers kissing their families goodbye as they selflessly went off to protect our freedom and democracy.
And while these memories will always be with us, we can look with pride at the good work that has been done since that awful day to make our country – and the world – a safer place.
The Congress has enacted several measures to make our nation safer, including port security legislation, improved airport security measures, bioterrorism preparedness legislation, and increased research on treatments for small pox, anthrax, and other bioterrorist agents.
Our renewed investment in the national defense ensures that our men and women in uniform are part of the strongest, best equipped, and most powerful military in the world.
And our renewed sense of community has proven that America not only survived this unjustifiable attack, but we have flourished. Those who sought to hurt us and weaken us have only made us stronger. Our democracy and our great nation endured September 11th, and are prepared for anything else that may come our way. We can be proud of who we are, what we've accomplished, and where we are headed. And we will always remember.
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