Tester statement on remembering September 11, 2001

(GREAT FALLS, Mont.) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement regarding the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001:

Although the attacks of 9/11 weren’t America’s first test of uncertainty, all of us knew this nation would change forever.

In the hours and days and weeks following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans—neighbors and strangers—joined together to fill the streets, despite their differences.  They poured out their support.  They redefined the United States of America.

I knew then that this great nation would overcome.  Events that unite us will always make us stronger.  Moving forward, we will never forget our commitment to our military and veterans, to our homeland security, and to the rights and freedoms that we must never give up.

Today, my prayers are with the thousands of Americans who have died at the hands of terrorists on and since 9/11, and for the thousands of tens of thousands of troops still on the front lines in Afghanistan and elsewhere.  And for the families of the thousands of American troops who have died in service to this country since that terrible day.

Sharla and I also stand with all Montanans in saying thank you to the members of our military, present and past—especially those who have come home with injuries seen and unseen.  Thank you to their families too.  This nation will never forget your sacrifice.

This week, Tester also spoke on the Senate floor about remembering the events of Sept. 11.  His full remarks appear below.

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U.S. Senator Jon Tester
Remembering September 11, 2001
Prepared for Delivery

Mr. President, on Sunday, this nation will pause to remember a painful day in American history.

On September 11, 2001, I was glued to the radio in my pickup on a long drive home to Big Sandy from Colstrip, Montana.  It wasn’t until I stopped at a Billings restaurant that I finally saw on TV what I had heard about all day. The pictures were surreal.

Although the attacks of 9/11 weren’t America’s first test of uncertainty, all of us knew this nation would change forever.

In the hours and days and weeks following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans—neighbors and perfect strangers—joined together to fill the streets, despite their differences.  They poured out their support.  They redefined the United States of America.

I knew then that this great nation would overcome.  Events that unite us will always make us stronger.  I was reminded of that on May Second, when Navy SEALS found and brought swift justice to Osama bin Laden—prompting spontaneous celebrations across Montana and the rest of the country.

We must never lose sight of our ability to find common ground and work together on the major issues that affect all of us.  We have much more in common than not, and we should never forget that.  It’s what built this country and made it the best nation on earth.  And we need to summon that spirit again as we work to rebuild our economy.

Mr. President, over the past decade, we’ve been reminded of some powerful truths that we can never afford to lose sight of:

We can never take the security of this country for granted.  There are, and sadly always will be, people out there bent on destroying what America stands for, taking innocent lives with them.  They are always looking for the weakest links in our security.  They are trained and well financed.  But our nation’s troops, intelligence agents, law enforcers and border security officers are trained even better.

I’m particularly concerned about weaknesses along Montana’s northern border with Canada.  Up until recently, only a few orange cones in the middle of the road protected this country from terrorism.  Unfortunately, the days when orange cones did the trick are behind us.  I have worked on the Homeland Security Committee to improve this security situation.  And things are better than they were a decade ago. 

We are still working to achieve the right mix of people, technology and know-how to secure the northern border. 

We have also been reminded that America’s military can achieve anything asked of them.  This comes with a cost. 

Like so many folks from the Greatest Generation after Pearl Harbor Day, hundreds of Montanans signed up to defend our country after 9/11.  I stand in deep appreciation for the men and women who, in those dark hours, stood up for our country.  I thank them and their families for their service, their sacrifice and their patriotism.

In the years since 9/11, American forces have paid a tremendous price in Iraq and Afghanistan in lives and livelihoods.  Until only a few years ago, veterans had to fight another battle at home, trying to get access to the benefits they were promised.  Too many veterans are still fighting for adequate funding and access to the quality health care services they earned.

As one veteran said, “The day this nation stops taking care of her veterans is the day this nation should stop creating them.”  I couldn’t agree more.

And Montanans were reminded that some out there are still willing to invade our privacy and trample on our constitutional rights in the name of security and freedom.  Measures like the Patriot Act, which I have consistently opposed, forfeit some of our basic freedoms.

Some lawmakers aren’t stopping there.  In the House, a bill called the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act would allow the Homeland Security Department to waive laws and seize control of public lands within 100 miles of the border – even if it means closing off grazing lands, shuttering National Parks and trampling on the rights of private landowners.  That would have an enormous impact on a whole lot of Montana. 

If bad bills like that are turned into law, America loses.  Our Constitution is a powerful document, and terrorists want nothing more than to watch our rights crumble away, by the weight of our own policies.

We can and we will remain strong, but we must do it with respect to our rights and freedoms. 

Today as on Sunday, Mr. President, my prayers are with those Americans who have died at the hands of terrorists on and since 9/11, and for the tens of thousands of troops still on the front lines in Afghanistan and elsewhere.  And for the families of the thousands of American troops who have died in service to this country since that terrible day.

Sharla and I stand with all Montanans in saying thank you to the members of our military, present and past—especially those who have come home with injuries seen and unseen.  This nation will never forget your sacrifice.

I yield the floor.

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