Dear friends, in his extraordinary book Night, Professor Elie Wiesel observed that when events are unspeakable, it takes time to find the right words to describe them.

 

            The events that shook our nation five years ago today are unspeakable.  Try as we might, even with the passage of time we cannot find the right words to fully express our grief, our sympathy, our pain, and our outrage.

 

            Words may fail us, but the images of the September 11 attacks are forever indelible in our minds.  How can we ever forget what we witnessed on that beautiful late summer morning -- planes striking buildings, huge structures tumbling, and our fellow Americans lying dead in the streets of New York, the fields of Pennsylvania, and in the shadows of the Pentagon?

 

            In subsequent days, our sorrow deepened as we witnessed New Yorkers paste thousands of photos of their missing loved ones on the city’s telephone polls.  We watched countless funerals and memorial services.  And we began to learn the details of how this ruthlessly efficient plan to murder Americans was put together.

 

            Yes, the sheer evil and unvarnished hatred that was inflicted on the United States that day was unlike anything our nation had ever experienced.  It was truly the darkest day in American history.

 

            But we will also never forget that through the darkness and horror of September 11 shone the bright shining light of courage, goodness and strength.

 

            We recall not only the images of September 11’s villains, but of its heroes.  We remember not only the acts of indescribable evil but of incredible humanity. 

 

            On September 11 itself, we watched as firefighters, police, military personnel and emergency workers plunged into the carnage and saved many people. 

 

Since then, of course, we have learned of heroic acts big and small – survivors who led their colleagues out of the twin towers, 9-1-1 operators who comforted doomed victims until the end, and of course, the passengers of Flight 93 who fought the hijackers and prevented the plane from crashing into the heart of Washington, most likely the Capitol building itself.

 

            In Washington that morning I evacuated my staff from our office after the plane hit the Pentagon.  While I did attend one hastily called briefing with the Attorney General and FBI director, my main priority was to ensure that each member of my staff got through to their families to let them know they were safe.

 

            That evening, I stood on the Capitol steps with hundreds of my colleagues in a show of national unity and resolve.  In subsequent days and weeks, I visited the rescue site at the Pentagon and Ground Zero in New York.

 

            I wrote at the time, and still believe today, that on September 11, 2001, the United States had never been more united.

 

            In the five years that have passed, the citizens of our country have wrestled with, debated, and argued about the countless important policy issues that were thrust upon us that day.

 

            In a vibrant democracy such as ours, this is natural and expected.  After all, this horrific event gave rise to challenges unprecedented in our nation’s history.

 

            Some of these debates began on the day of the attacks.  Several rage on – in Congress and in coffee shops – to this day.

 

            We have, for example, struggled to find the proper balance between our fight to secure America against terrorists and our fight to keep our society free and open and to preserve our cherished civil liberties.

 

            The President’s speech last week also underscored our national debate about how best to engage in our war against al Qaeda and the Taliban.  The rights and treatment of prisoners, the issues at Guantanamo, and the secret CIA prisons are all subjects of intense scrutiny.

 

            While everyone supports our brave service men and women in Iraq – and grieves for the 2,600 who have perished there -- there can be no doubt that fervent supporters and strong critics of the war in Iraq are passionately arguing their case each day.  And the very notion that going to war in Iraq was a proper response to 9-11 is of course a hot topic of debate.

 

            Finally, we just commemorated the one-year anniversary of the worst natural disaster in our history – Hurricane Katrina.  Having just returned from my second trip to the Gulf Coast, I must sadly report to you that the destruction and despair is still indescribable.  So the debate over why we were so unprepared to deal with this disaster – and how to prevent them in the future -- is very relevant. 

 

And, for that matter, we struggle with how best to prepare for  natural catastrophes here on the Central Coast – like earthquakes and wild fires

 

            As your Member of Congress, it is my job to wrestle with all of these issues.  It is my obligation to take stands on these matters.  It is my duty to try to put policies into place to confront these challenges.

 

            But not today.

 

            Not on September 11.

 

            Let’s put aside the politics and policymaking to tomorrow, and the days and weeks to come.

 

            Today, September 11, is a day for mourning – we grieve for the 3,000 people who were killed.

 

            Today is a day for healing – we hope that the many that were injured that day are well or are on their way to recovery.  And we pray for healing and closure for the families who lost their loved ones.

 

            And today is a day for resolve – we pledge to make our country and our communities better places, for now and for future generations.

 

            In closing, I remember that on September 12, 2001, I had the honor of speaking on the Floor of the House of Representatives about the tragedy that had befallen us the day before.  I knew that I was speaking not only for myself, but for the hundreds of thousands of Central Coast residents whom I represent.

 

            And while Elie Wiesel is right about the difficulty to find the right words, I found words in scripture which I would like to recite again:

 

            In Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31 we read:  “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strengths; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”  Thank you.

 

           

 

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.