Gerald Kleczka: “I rise in disgust of yesterday's terrorist acts, and in strong support of the resolution before us. The cowardly acts of…”

“I rise in disgust of yesterday's terrorist acts, and in strong support of the resolution before us. The cowardly acts of terrorism carried out yesterday against fellow Americans are sickening and unparalleled since the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor nearly sixty years ago. Each of the commercial aircraft used as weapons were carrying innocent men, women, and children. And the timing of the assaults--around 9am on a weekday morning, seems to have been designed to maximize the loss of innocent life for those in all the buildings attacked. Know full well that we as a government will not rest until those responsible are found and severely punished. We salute those dedicated rescue workers, firefighters, and police who have been working around the clock to try to reach those that might still be trapped alive inside. My sympathies and condolences go out to those who lost their lives, the injured and the families who will forever bear the scars of this day from hell. But while these heinous acts were carefully planned, in the ultimate sense these terrorists have failed in their mission. They can shake the foundations of skyscrapers, but they cannot break our spirit. We are not broken. We are saddened, but stand firm in our resolve as a country and a people.”