WASHINGTON, DC -- On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:

“Twenty years ago, America watched in horror as the World Trade Center fell, the Pentagon was struck, and Flight 93 was lost in the fields of Pennsylvania.

“9/11 touched us all. Twenty years later, our hearts remain with the families of those we lost that day and those fallen heroes who died in service to our nation in the decades of conflict that followed.

“Reflecting on the aftermath of 9/11, we are reminded of the courage and compassion of ordinary Americans who aided one another and did extraordinary things.  From first responders rushing into danger to people lining up for blocks to donate blood, Americans became united at a critical moment.

“Today, we are all called upon to summon that same sense of unity and common purpose once more to rebuild and heal.  America is at its strongest when our citizens are united, refusing to bend to fear and intimidation.

“Twenty years after 9/11, Osama bin Laden is dead and our troops have returned home from Afghanistan.  But threats from terrorism remain and new challenges before us are daunting.  We will do everything we can to stop these threats and safeguard our nation.

“And we commit ourselves to the difficult task of creating a more just and decent world.  A world where hope overcomes the kind of hatred that was so manifest on that terrible day.

“Let us honor those we lost by summoning that sense of unity and upholding our national values to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”