Christopher Shays: “I have prepared remarks, but I would just like to speak from my heart that when you go to the Pentagon and when you go…”

“I have prepared remarks, but I would just like to speak from my heart that when you go to the Pentagon and when you go to see ground zero in New York, you see an incredible contrast, the carnage of the buildings and the hope and vitality of the people. When President Bush was there today and he stood up to speak to some of the rescue workers, some of them could not hear, and they yelled out, ``We can't hear you.'' And he turned around to them and said, ``But we can hear you. The whole world can hear you. And soon, those who committed this dastardly, cowardly act, will hear from us.'' I am voting for this resolution so that they will hear from us. If I have one regret, it is that we did not give a President, our President, this power a few years ago to respond to terrorism when it first struck. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people I represent, I rise in strong support of authorizing the use of our Armed Forces against those responsible for the carnage in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Acts of war have been committed against innocent men, women, and children going about the daily business and routines that are American life. After a decade of peace, we are reminded in the harshest way that the United States has violent and cowardly enemies--that while the cold war is over, the world is a more dangerous place.”