Basketball with in high school, a businessman who helped me on the way up, a firefighter i did blood drives with. One of the bloodiest days on american soil since the civil war. Each year we pause to remember that awful day. We mourn those we lost. We also recognize in the aftermath of september 11 the resiliency of the american people. The resiliency of new yorkers. Shown through one of the darkest hours in our country. Looking back things are difficult even after 18 years i read my book through the city of new york at least fifth or lisixth street is named after a firefighter or Police Officer who died in parts of brooklyn bay ridge places like that. I will never forget the day after when president bush sent to senator clinton and i to go up to new york and we were the only planes in the sky. An airliner to have us surrounded by f a18s f16s. We landed and went down to the site. The smell of death and burning flesh in the air. A thousand people lined up no one knew who had lived and who had died. With little signs have you seen my mother, mary. Have you seen my ab i remember the generosity of new yorkers. A man who owned a shoe store riright north of the towers gav out free shoes to everybody who was fleeing and many of them had lost their shoes in the long trek down the stairs. I remember the valor of the First Responders who rushed to the towers. I remember a firefighter Staten Island based in brooklyn put went to his firehouse put his full gear on and ran to the tunnel. Another way i think of this every day, im sure youve noticed. Ive worn this flag every day sense. Every time i think of it i think of those who were lost in the valor of new yorkers and the american people. To the First Responders since 9 11 carries additional significance. Some of the heroes were here in washington to start celebrate the permanent reauthorization of the Victim Compensation fund. I want to thank the First Responders who came to washington and help secure this funding. Especially those who are no longer with us. James r drago, louise alvarez, my dear friend ray pfeiffer. Wherever they are, i hope they eiare looking down with the knowledge that their brothers and sisters are being taken care of. God bless those good heroes, may god continue to bless this resilient nation. Its difficult to believe that its been 18 years since the september 11 attacks. The shock the horror the sense of unreality. In the days that followed the grief and loss. And also the result. Where there is great evil good rose up in response. The ag