H. Res. 994

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 13, 2006.

Whereas on the morning of September 11, 2001, while Americans were attending to their daily routines, terrorists hijacked four civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into 

the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City 

and a third into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C.; 

Whereas the heroic actions of the passengers and crew 

aboard United Flight 93 prevented it from being used as 

a weapon against America and ultimately led the terrorists to crash the aircraft into a rural field in Shanksville, 

Pennsylvania, killing all those aboard; 

Whereas nearly 3,000 innocent people were murdered in 

these attacks; 

Whereas the terrorist attacks were an act of war by al-Qaeda, 

its leadership and affiliates against the United States and 

the many peaceful, democratic nations of the world; 

Whereas by targeting symbols of American strength and 

prosperity, the attacks were intended to assail the principles, values and freedoms of the American people and 

to intimidate the Nation and its allies; 

Whereas when the gravest moments came that day, first responders and many ordinary citizens, relying on courage, 

instinct, and concern for their fellow man, rushed toward 
2

•HRES 994 EH 

the flaming buildings in order to rescue the victims of the 

attacks; 

Whereas in the days subsequent to the brutal attacks on the 

Nation, the Government vowed never to be caught off 

guard again, to take the fight to the terrorists, and to 

take immediate measures to prepare and protect the Nation against a new type of faceless, inhuman, and amorphous enemy committed to the death and destruction of 

the American way of life; 

Whereas Congress passed, and the President signed, numerous laws to assist victims, combat the forces of terrorism, 

protect the Homeland and support the members of the 

Armed Forces who defend American interests at home 

and abroad, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 

and its 2006 reauthorization, the Homeland Security Act 

of 2002, the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry 

Reform Act of 2002, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; 

Whereas the House of Representatives in the 109th Congress 

passed the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal 

Immigration Control Act of 2005, the SAFE Port Act of 

2006, and the 21st Century Emergency Communications 

Act of 2006; 

Whereas terrorist attacks that have occurred since September 

11, 2001, in Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Spain, the 

United Kingdom and elsewhere, remind all Americans of 

the brutal intentions of the terrorists and the everpresent threat they pose to the principles of freedom; 

Whereas British authorities, in cooperation with United 

States and Pakistani officials, recently disrupted an air-
3

•HRES 994 EH 

line terror plot to commit mass murder by blowing up civilian aircraft bound for the United States; 

Whereas Federal agencies, including those within the Intelligence Community, the Department of Justice, and the 

Department of Homeland Security, worked effectively 

with American allies to investigate and disrupt the airline 

terror plot and to implement appropriate security procedures in response to the plot; 

Whereas United States law enforcement and intelligence 

agencies and allies of the United States around the world 

have worked together to detect and disrupt terrorist networks and numerous terror plots since September 11, 

2001, including a plan to attack targets on the west 

coast of the United States using hijacked aircraft in 

2002, a plan to attack targets on the east coast of the 

United States using hijacked civilian aircraft in 2003, a 

plan to blow up apartment buildings in the United States 

in 2002, a plan to attack urban targets in the United 

Kingdom using explosives in 2004, a plan to attack Westerners in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2003, a plan to attack 

Heathrow Airport using hijacked aircraft in 2003, a plan 

to conduct large-scale bombings in the United Kingdom 

in 2004, a plan to attack ships in the Arabian Gulf in 

2002, a plan to attack ships in the Straits of Hormuz in 

2002, a plan to attack a United States tourist site outside the United States in 2003, a plan to attack Queen 

Alia Airport in Jordan in 2006, a plan to attack highprofile buildings in Ontario, Canada, in 2006, and a plan 

to attack an El Al aircraft in 2006; 

Whereas the Nation is indebted to the brave military, intelligence, and law enforcement personnel serving in Af-
4

•HRES 994 EH 

ghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere who are on the front lines 

of the global war on terrorism; 

Whereas the Nation is safer than it was on September 11, 

2001, but more must always be done because the terrorist threat is latently entrenched, nimble, resourceful, 

and dedicated to the murder of Americans and the destruction of freedom; and 

Whereas the passage of five years has not diminished the 

pain caused by the senseless loss of nearly 3,000 persons 

killed on September 11, 2001: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the House of Representatives—

(1) continues to recognize September 11 as a day 

to remember and mourn those who lost their lives that 

fateful day; 

(2) encourages Americans to make September 11 a 

day of national service; 

(3) extends its deepest sympathies to the spouses, 

children, mothers, fathers, and other loved ones of the 

victims of September 11, 2001; 

(4) honors the heroic actions of first responders, 

law enforcement personnel, State and local officials, volunteers, and others who aided the innocent victims and 

bravely risked their own lives and health following the 

September 11, 2001 attacks; 

(5) extends its deepest gratitude to military, intelligence and law enforcement personnel serving both at 
5

•HRES 994 EH 

home and abroad in the global war on terrorism and for 

the sacrifices of their families and loved ones; 

(6) expresses its gratitude to all foreign nations and 

their citizens who have assisted and continue to assist 

the United States in the global war on terrorism; 

(7) vows that it will remain vigilant in efforts to 

provide the Federal Government with all the tools necessary to fight and win the global war on terrorism; and 

(8) reaffirms that the American people will never 

forget the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the loss 

of innocent lives that day, will continue to fight the war 

on terrorism in their memory, and will never succumb to 

the cause of the terrorists. 

Attest:

Clerk.