On the recordMarch 8, 2023
Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of the United States over 21 years since 9/11 is no accident. It is due to the sweat, toil, and blood of thousands of young Americans. Many Americans have enjoyed the fruits of this labor with not contributing anything to the cost. As a veteran of the war on terror myself, I stand here today and, from the bottom of my heart, genuinely wish I could tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I could tell my colleagues: ``Mission accomplished. We can go home.'' I truly wish I could say that, but the mission is not accomplished yet. It is not finished. There is still work to do, which our troops in Syria carry on today. ISIS remains the deadliest terrorist threat in the world. The work that these troops do day in and day out is a relatively small investment in our security and the security of our allies. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.





