Congressman Cole's Statement After Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony

Washington, D.C. – "The date of September 11, 2001 is engraved in our history as a tremendous day of loss; loss of thousands of American lives and a loss of our innocence as a nation. We, as Oklahomans, can particularly understand the devastation of such an extensive act of terror. Today we solemnly offer our prayers for those who have suffered loss because of this attack on our homeland two years ago."

"After the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President Bush and the nation committed to seeking out and eliminating international terrorism. To date, our military has successfully destroyed many al Qaeda strongholds in Afghanistan and ended the harsh Taliban rule there. They have liberated Iraq from Saddam's rule and freed the world from his threat. Still, there is more work to be done. Our global war on terror is not over. Our President is leading a fight for a more peaceful world that will not be threatened by those who use terror on the innocent to accomplish their goals."

"Today as we remember those who lost their lives on September 11, we also remember those who have made other scarifies to ensure our security as a nation. We honor the brave men and women of our military who have displayed enormous courage, skill and determination throughout this ongoing effort to eliminate terror. It is also a time to honor and thank our first responders who bravely stand on the front lines every day to ensure our safety."

"We have come a long way since September 11, 2003. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the proactive fight against terrorists, we now live in a more secure world. We have shown that we will not tolerate those who use violence against the innocent. Today we commemorate, the tremendous loss we suffered but honor those who work to prevent terror from striking our country again."

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