Joseph Knollenberg: “I rise today to offer on behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District of Michigan our thoughts and prayers…”

“I rise today to offer on behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District of Michigan our thoughts and prayers for each and every one affected by the tragedy. Words alone cannot express the sorrow that America feels. Nor can words express the anger America feels. These attacks were a cowardly assault on innocent Americans, and this will not stand. Make no mistake, these attacks were an act of war. All of us stand firmly behind the President in his efforts to identify and punish the perpetrators of these evil deeds. No one will rest until justice is done on those who committed these heinous crimes and on those who provided aid and comfort to those criminals. Let me be clear. America's relationships with our allies and those who would be our allies will be defined by their reactions to these events and their support for our efforts to bring these terrorists and their accomplices to justice. Our Nation's capital has suffered as well. I have been in touch with the city's leadership to assess their needs. As chairman of the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia of the Committee on Appropriations, I will do what I can to ensure that it has the resources it needs to be as safe as possible. Yesterday, we saw the worst of humanity. But it is the better angels of our nature that will prevail. Terrorism tries to defeat us with fear. Judging by the response of all Americans, fear is not winning.”