Sheila Jackson Lee: “I have had the privilege of working with Republican and Democratic Presidents, and, I might add, that I have had the…”

“I have had the privilege of working with Republican and Democratic Presidents, and, I might add, that I have had the sadness to be standing with them during times of need of this Nation. Living knowledge, during my tenure, President George W. Bush was President during 9/11. I was in this Capitol on September 11, 2001, and so I was physically evacuated. As we were leaving with no understanding of what was happening--particularly for those of us who had come for early morning meetings, not having the full impact of what had happened in New York and not having the full knowledge. But as we were fleeing this building, we took a look to our right. We could see the billowing black smoke in the Pentagon. We were running for our lives. We were running as Americans, Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of many faiths, many races, many genders, many orientations. We were running as Americans. Those families at Ground Zero watched in horror or heard in horror of their loved ones lost, in spite of the heroic efforts of first responders. First responders were lost. There, too, was a multitude of the United Nations. This Nation has always welcomed and respected people from all over the world, and so it disturbs me when those of us who have now taken a visible and stoic stand against an unconstitutional executive order begin to receive attacks from the very person who should be bringing this Nation together.…”