Good afternoon.

          When we remember 9/11, the first thing I think each of us does...is personalize it.  We recall where we were when we first heard the news...that America was being attacked by terrorists. And we most certainly recall...the emotions that we felt.

          But then, something happens...and our thoughts quickly jump from what we are feeling as individuals to the emotions we share as a nation. 

          “Because when the sun rose in Pennsylvania some ten years ago, it was a peaceful September morning.  By the time it set, nearly 3,000 people had lost their lives. 

          And with a distance of a decade, 9/11 can sometimes feel like a part of a different era.  But for the families of the men and women stolen, that day will never feel like history.”

          President Bush was correct in his assessment of the 9/11 tragedy and that is why we are here today. 

To honor our fallen heroes, the very proudest of Americans, who made some of the greatest sacrifices...including the innocent victims in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, the heroes on Flight 93 who died right here in Pennsylvania, and ultimately, the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who have been fighting the War on Terror for the past ten years.

          Today is about remembering these victims and the emergency responders who helped save so many lives while laying down their own.

          Yesterday, as I listened to Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Vice-President Joe Biden address the families of United Airlines Flight 93 in the rolling meadows of Shanksville, Pennsylvania and joined them in the dedication of our newest national memorial, I was reminded that the “memory of that morning is still fresh and so is its pain.”

          But I also gained a renewed sense of hope, that despite challenging times and unthinkable acts of terror, our best days as nation are still ahead of us...that the bonds that unite us as a nation are still far stronger than those that may divide.

          And I think Vice-President Biden said it best when he stated “that there is hope to be found after tragedy, that there is rebirth in the face of death, and that our history is filled with a long and distinguished list of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.” 

Without a doubt, the men and women of 9/11 are to be honored for their profiles in courage.  They didn’t ask for this fight, but acted as citizen patriots have acted since the beginning of our country...they stood up and stood their ground.

In doing so, they demonstrated an “undaunted courage, uncommon resolve, and a stubborn, stubborn perseverance...in the face of unfathomable challenges.”

          These are the qualities that make us, as Americans, so proud. And they are the ones that are engrained in our national character and consciousness.  But most importantly, I hope and pray that they are the traits that will continue to define America and future generations in the years to come. 

          Because as famed U.S. author and poet, Maya Angelou, once wrote...History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

          Let us never forget...

Thank you.