Who lost their lives tragically 18 years ago, and to make sure that we never forget what happened then. I vividly remember that morning in my own office in jasper, indiana. Didnt have tv. Somebody there brought it up on the internet. That second plane flew into the building. Happened know what with the first one. We knew what happened with the second. Center rick scott and i recently over thep summer break took a trip to israel. All of that went into preparedness, the evil that lurks around the world. I see it begin up close to where it always makes you wonder, how can you live like that . How can you be prepared when you know thereno are always individuals, countries out there just like in 1941, just like in 2001. Imagine living in a country where the entire border, surrounded by a fence or wall, to keep people out. And in the really tough places theres another barrier. And in the really tough places, a dirt berm. That drove home again how important it is to be prepared and to always be strong when it comes to defending this country, the liberties and freedoms that we all enjoy every day. Never thought it could happen in 1941. 1941. Didnt think it could happen in 2001. It can happen again because thats the world we live within. When i came here as a u. S. Senator, i always knew the most important thing this body shoule do is foster the defense and the security of this country. And when you see it can slip so precariously over the last few years, if they could does we built it back up to a level that makes sense. Its because we always need to be prepared. And if were going to truly honor all the lives t that were lost n 1941, 2001, inevitably down the road, we need to be strong. We need to be prepared, and we always need to be aware of the fact that we are blessed, just like the state of israel is blast, despite all of that, a thriving economy. We live with that danger every day. They t find a way to get through it. Let us never let our guard down or drop our defenses here. Our freedom and our liberty depend upon it. I yield the floor. Mr. President . Senator from missouri. Mr. President , as my friend from indiana and others have pointed out today this is a day that americans remember as a day of unique tragedy. Earlier today on the senate floor we had a moment of silence in the middle of a series of votes the senate floor was full of members who paused to think about what had happened that day. I think almost every american alive today knows where they were that morning. It was a beautiful, clear warning just like this morning was the if you were too young to remember where you were that morning, theres a real likelihood that your parents told you where you were that morning. It was a s seminal moment. It changed how we looked at so many things in our country. Today we reflect where we were and the changes that occurred after that. I was working in this building on the other side of the building as a member of the house 18 years ago, and i shared with capital please today my appreciation for what they do every day. On this day every year, i remember being one ofer the last people to leave this building as the capital please are working hard to get people out, a sense that that plane was coming here and was going to either hit the white house or the capitol. And i remember walking out of the door, and i really was among the last to leave the building here that day, but i remember eyes of the capital please woman who was still at the door and thinking, and realizing that i was going to be out, if the building was a target i was going to quickly be someone else. She was still going to bee here until those who worked with this and worked to protect us that everybody that could possibly be found and gotten out of the building was already gone. Weekly understand the world is a dangerous place. We just had a discussion this week, a Foreign Policy discussion, about whether in the country they really had served as a haven for alqaeda, whatn would happen if we totally left that country back to the taliban, and would it become a and almost certainly i think it would. D. We really need to think about a number of things. One is, so many people do so much to protect us all the time. We have thousands of americans in uniform and in the Intelligence Community that every day spend their time being sure that we are safe as we can be, and that our freedoms are secure. They are deployed overseas. They are fighting terrorist groups like isis or the remnanto of alqaeda. They are working here to spot homegrown terrorists. They are doing what they can to find what somebody may be talking about what somebody maybe bringing across the border that would be a danger. And senator capito and i were just at the border last week, and one of the things we talked about were not only drugs coming over the border, but the other things coming overhi the border designed to harm us and who we are and how we live. In st. Louis, missouri, and arnold missouri where the secondbiggest installation of the National Geospatial agency constantly looking at the information thats out there and looking all over the world to see if theres activity in places that there wouldnt be activity. But if there was activity it would likely be activity that would be designed to harm us or others in the world. We need to understand that and we also need to understand in the society we live in, theres never a a perfect security and perfect freedom at the same time. And we worked really hard not to allow ourselves to lose the freedom we cherish in return for the security we would like to have. We also need to remember those people that respond, the First Responders that ran toward the tragedy on 9 11 as others were hble to run away from the tragedy, passing each other, many of the First Responders became numbered among the 3000 americans that died that day. Just last month the president signed into law the National Urban search and rescue parity act that allows federal employees to be active participants in urban search and rescue teams, whether its from a Natural Disaster or a manmade disaster. Third thing we need to keep in mind is how important it is we honor and care for the victims and heroes among us, those that ran toward the tragedy. Those left behind. People who still suffer today because of what happened to them that day, that likely is that those people that benefit from the Victims Compensation fund were people staying behind to help others are rushing forward to help others. We dont want to become afraid to be the great Diverse Society we have become. We dont want to become a society where we allow the terrorists to win by taking our freedoms away, but this is an important time for us to think f of those freedoms, for those who defend those freedoms, for those who rushed toru the scene of danger when we have danger, for those who tried to do everything they can to minimize that. So today we agreed, we pray, we remember, we resolve that will continue to be vigilant against attack and unafraid of defending who we are. And with that, mr. President , ideal the floor. Mr. President , center fromim iowa. Mr. President , i askt unanimous consent that the votet series begin following the remarks of senators daines, columns, lankford and cotton. Without objection. Mr. President , 18 years ago on a bright clear sky september morning, without warning our nation was attacked. Many of us probably remember where we were on that horrible day. I had that morning all. I was at home with my nearly twoyearold daughter. We didnt have the tv on. We had a couple of gentlemen at the house. I was getting a brandnew furnace on that day. What would be normally a couple our installation turned into an all day event, as those men would take time off from installing our new furnace to run into the other room so we could see what was going on on the television. Ls so i had to make phone calls that morning. The first was early. It was from a neighbor, and she said, joanie, do you have the tv on . And i said, no, wanda, i dont get whats going on . She said you just need to turn the tv on. So i did. I saw the horrible events unfolding right in front of us. The second on call i got was from my ibook Army National guard unit. Captain ernst, we are doing a 100 accountability check. We need you to stay by the phone all day so we know how we can get a hold of you. 100 accountability. It was an experience many of us had never felt before, the terrifying shock of knowing that the country we love and our fellow americans were under attack. Mr. President , our adversaries sought to tear us apart by their cowardly act. But instead, they brought us together as americans. For in those terrible moments we also saw the very, very best of our country. The firefighters, the Police Officers, the First Responders, and ordinary citizens who courageously put their lives on the line toco save countless others. On that day as individuals and as a nation, we came together in a unique way. And we also made a pledge to never forget. To never forget the nearly 3000 victims and the families that they left behind. To never forgetfo the heroism of both our First Responders and the everyday mennd and women who selflessly acted to s save live. To never forget the importance of defending our homeland and the great democratic principles that we stand for. Its a pledge i personally take their seriously, and its why i organize this event for my colleagues to come to the floor today and to share their memories and thoughts on today, this 18th anniversary of the september 11 terrorist attacks. Its why i worked so hard to make sure our armed forces have the technology, support and resources they need to defend our nation from threats both here at home and abroad. Thats what i cosponsored and helped to finally get signedne into law a permanent reauthorization of the septembe Compensation Fund. Support the First Responders who continue to sacrifice their health, and even their lives, from the work and the post9 11 recovery efforts. And its why we should never ever take our nation and our freedoms for granted. Mr. President , i am one, just one of the millions of americans keeping that promise to never forget. In fact, today back home in iowa there are countless folks that are honoring that allow them to own thoughtful way. Mimi used today anniversary as a day of service, performing acts of kindness throughout iowa. Others come together with their communities to honor and remember those who were lost. Its really wonderful to see all of the ways folks are doing that walking in the 9 11 marched to the capital in des moines, the visiting the 9 11 never forget mobile exhibit currently at the clay county fair, to participate in the annual 9 11 moment of silent motorcycle ride in mason city. And for some of our fellow iowans, today will be spent remembering loved ones lost in the attack. Folkss like newtons jean clery, whose husband jim, who was a loving and goodnatured, goodhumored godfearing giant of a man who never came home from a fateful business trip to the World Trade Center 18 years ago. For nearly two decades now, she has been on a crusade to keep jims memory alive and well. She helps raise funds for newtons very own 9 11 memorial. She speaks to local students educating them about the events of that day. 18 years ago. And she has given her testimony all over iowa. And for folks in iowa, they probably have seen driving across the state. She has a pretty special license plate which reads nvr4gt. Never forget. Today and every day iowans are keeping that sacred promise. We will always remember jim clery and the nearly 3000 others lost their lives that tragic day. We will always honor the heroes who selflessly sacrificed and saved countless lives. We will always rise up to defend our nation and citizens. We will never forget. That is our sacred promise. Thank you, mr. President. I yield the floor. Mr. President . Center for montana. Mr. President , 18 years ago today, americans witnessed what evil looks like. 18 years ago today americans witnessed the loss of innocent life. 18 years ago today, americans witnessed acts of cowardice. Today, montanans and americans across our country taking time to reflect upon the horrific acts of 9 11. Today, we take time to remember the thousands of lives lost on that horrible day. We remember the daughters who lost mothers. Sons who lost fathers. Loved ones and friends and the communities that were broken by these tragedies. I know i speak for most of us when i say that we remember that day like it was yesterday. That fateful morning i was in roseman montana. I typically like to get an early start at work bozeman, montana. We are two hours ahead of eastern time, so it was early in the morning. My wife, cindy, called me. I was at my desk. I was working for a Cloud Computing software company, just starting the day. And cindy called me. She said, its really strange news. Theres been a plane that is hit one of the World Trade Center towers. And i think many of us at the time thought it was maybe a small private plane. Sort of, and of a strange bit of news coming out that morning. And then as the minutes went by, we started find out what wasng really going on here that it wasnt a small plane. It wasnt an accident. It was a 767 loaded with fuel because it was attempting to make a journey across our country from boston out to the west coast. One that will never stop hurting. I remember after then it was confirmed it was a commercial aircraft, very quickly the speculation began that this was a premeditated terror attack. This was a premeditated. Terror attack. Moments like that, you want to be with your loved ones. I quietly closed the door to my office and i went to be with my wife and family as we watched the rest of the horrible day unfold. 2, 977 innocent americans lost their lives 2,977 innocent americans didnt return home that day and its important to think about every single human life that was lost and the pain of the families that remember that day today when they lost their loved ones. That pain is very real yet again today. This was a slaughter of our fellow americans that shook our nation to its very core. Yet, in the face of extreme adversity, were a nation that did come together and we carried on. I think about those moments when our churches, cathedrals were filled with americans in prayer, reflecting upon what had happened. Today, we honor and remember the almost 3,000 people who died that september morning. We remember the survivors, those First Responders, and the firefighters, the friends and family to those we lost. And while we take the time to remember today, we also reflect on who we are as a nation. As americans, were strong, were resilient. After the 9 11 attacks, we responded with strength and we strengthened the homeland and were most greatful to those who served and who are serving today in our armed forces. I just more recently, over the last year, last december, i flew to afghanistan. In fact, we carried 50 pounds of montana beef jerky to deliver to the 495th combat sustainment support battalion of the montana Army National guard who are deployed over in afghanistan, protecting us. And as i received a brief that day, reminded yet again that this war that we have against terrorism exists this very moment. And i can tell you that because of the men and women who serve in our armed forces and intelligence and Law Enforcement across our nation, its because of them that were able to stand here today without another terror attack like we saw on 9 11. And i received a brief in afghanistan in december reminding again about the porous border between afghanistan and pakistan that there are plots being created and attempted to hit the homeland again, if it were not for the brave men and women, many special forces as i spent time with the fourstar, scott miller, had a career in special forces overseeing the operations there, grateful that they continue to remain vigilant in the fight against global terrorism. Americas enemies want us to be afraid, but the thing is here in america we dont give up. When america is strong, so our allies and the free world. We must remain vigilant to make sure that we maintain that reagan doctrine of peace through strength. The world will never forget what happened on this day 18 years ago. And despite the political differences and divisions we have across our country and this city, we must remember were all in this together and americans are stronger when we are united. Theres no force of evil, or terror, that will ever overcome the will and the determination of a free and united people. We ask that god continue to bless our fighting men and women and may god continue to bless the United States of america. Thank you, mr. President , i yield back. Mr. President. Senator from arkansas. September 11th is a solemn anniversary. 18 years later we still remember the toll from that terrible day. Nearly 3000 americans lost their lives in the attacks on the twin towers, the pentagon and united night 93. Every american experienced the pain of loss that day. Just as we mourn the innocent lives lost, we also remember the heroism of our First Responders who ran towards danger and death to help their fellow americans. Out of the ashes of that terrible tragedy arose a strength and, you know, if i that the whole world came to admire. September 11th altered the course of our nations history in a blaze of fire and smoke and for so Many Americans, it altered the course of our lives. Our fighting men and women deployed overseas just weeks later, and remain in the fight today. So Many Americans joined them enlisting to defend our nation. Young kids who witnessed firefighters rush into the burning towers grew up and themselves joined units with oldfashioned names like engine and ladder. Generation of Intelligence Officers dedicated themselves to preventing another 9 11 and to have and still do. And our lives continued to be altered because the consequences of september 11th are still with us. The attacks of 18 years ago continue to claim new victims. The First Responders and others succumb to injuries and illnesses that trend back to that morning. The al qaeda terrorists who attacked us that morning are bloodied, but defeated and the taliban who ga