Honoring The 9-11 Victims

I was in New York City that solemn anniversary, at a memorial event organized by Voices of September 11th, a remarkable group of family members and loved ones. There, just a few steps from the hallowed ground where so many perished, I was presented with the group's "Building Bridges Award" for my work in developing legislation to reform our nation's intelligence system to better confront the challenges of terrorism.

I am deeply honored to be selected for this award. So many others deserve recognition: my congressional colleagues who worked so hard on this difficult and complex legislation; the brave and dedicated first responders at all levels of government who devote their lives to our protection; and, of course, the members of Voices of September 11th, who have provided us all with such an inspiring example of courage and grace. That an event so horrifying could bring so many people together in a noble common cause demonstrates why this award could not be more appropriately named.

There is a time to burn bridges, and there is a time to build them. On a beautiful September morning four years ago, the parents, spouses, and children I met with suffered an inconsolable loss due to an act of unimaginable cruelty. They could have withdrawn into smoldering bitterness. They did not. Instead, they chose to build.

First, they built a network of support for each other. Although their losses were profoundly personal, they combined their individual voices into a single voice of comfort, respect, and understanding. Although their government had failed in its fundamental obligation to protect its citizens, they became a voice not of recrimination and blame, but one that called for positive change.

That voice was heard, loud and clear. There are few forces on Earth more formidable than partisanship in Washington. As the Committee I chair – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs – began its work on crafting intelligence reform legislation a year ago in July, we all were concerned that this force would be unleashed. Against their powerful voice, however, the noise of political advantage hadn't a chance.

Our success in getting that legislation enacted is due in large part to the three other members of Congress who were my great allies in intelligence reform and who also were honored with Building Bridges Awards: Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Congressman Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, and Congresswoman Jane Harman of California.

On July 23rd, 2004, the day after the committee I chair, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, was given the assignment of developing reform legislation, I met privately with our Committee's Ranking Democrat and my good friend, Senator Lieberman. We immediately agreed that we would always work out between us any differences we had regarding the shape of the legislation. We would always present a united front to the rest of our Committee, to the full Senate, to the House, and to the Administration.

Senator Lieberman kept that agreement faithfully, without exception. That proved to be the key to our success. As a result, our legislation got a unanimous vote in Committee, and passed in the Senate 96 to 2. The Voices of September 11th were heard on the Senate floor that day.

The conference with the House was the most difficult of any conference in which I have been involved. The two versions of intelligence reform legislation were substantially different and, in some places, in direct conflict. Many times, it seemed the differences and conflicts could not be reconciled. Many times, we seemed on the brink of failure.

But we did not fail. We did not fail because none of us would allow that outcome. We persevered; we worked to resolve the issues that separated us. We, too, heard the Voices of September 11th. Together, we built a bridge to carry an intelligence system designed for the Cold War into the 21st Century.

But we do not build bridges merely to marvel at the engineering skill or the architectural vision. We build bridges in order to get somewhere. Our intelligence reform legislation points us in the right direction, but we have not yet reached our destination.

We in Congress have an ongoing obligation to see that the reforms called for in our legislation are implemented quickly, efficiently, and effectively. As we strive to meet those obligations, the Voices of September 11th, and the voices of all concerned Americans, will continue to guide us, to encourage us, and, I hope, to drown out the noise of partisanship.

On August 17th, 2004, at one the many hearings our Committee held on intelligence reform, we heard a voice that eloquently described what was at stake. It was a voice that had a profound effect on all of us, speaking words I will never forget and that motivated us to continue fighting for reform even when the prospects seemed dim. The voice belonged to Mary Fetchet, whose son, Bradley, died at the World Trade Center, and who went on to become the lead organizer of Voices of September 11th. These are her words: "When American lives are at stake, indifference or inertia is unacceptable… When critical reforms are implemented to make our country safer, I will know that neither Brad's life, nor the lives of nearly 3,000 others who perished on September 11th were lost in vain."

I am proud to add my voice to the great unified voice that calls for progress instead of blame, for cooperation rather than partisanship. Together we will keep building a bridge to a safer future. We will ensure the lives we remember were not lost in vain.

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