Eliot Engel: “Six years have passed since America lost our innocence and terrorism struck at the root of our Nation's soil. I rise…”

“Six years have passed since America lost our innocence and terrorism struck at the root of our Nation's soil. I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 643, which recognizes September 11 as a day of remembrance. Mr. Speaker, I am a New Yorker, born and bred. I love our city. I was in New York when this tragedy occurred. I would often say to my children when we were in New York, look at the skyline, look at the World Trade Center. It was so invigorating. It makes me feel so wonderful just to be in this city, the city I love, the city in which I was born. We New Yorkers are a tough breed; but I have to tell my colleagues, six years ago when I drove over the George Washington Bridge to return to Washington and I took a look at the Manhattan skyline and saw the Twin Towers were not there, in its place I saw only smoke and fire and it deeply affected me. Mr. Speaker, when I think of the victims, the men, women and children who lost their lives; the firemen, the policemen who went there to save people's lives, and lost their lives, I am saddened.”