Isakson Honors Our Fallen Heroes and Victims on Anniversary September 11th

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the floor of the Senate to mark the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., hailed the heroes of United Flight 93, remembered the thousands of Americans who lost their lives that day and urged Congress to renew its commitment to ensure such an attack never happens again.

Sep 11, 2009

The Senate held a moment of silence this morning for the victims.

On Wednesday, members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives unveiled a memorial plaque bearing the names of the 40 crew members and passengers of Flight 93 who gave their lives to stop the four terrorists who had hijacked their flight and were believed to be headed toward the U.S. Capitol. Flight 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa.

During that ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Isakson met Robert Marisay of Woodstock, Ga., who was attending the unveiling of the memorial to honor his sister Georgine Corrigan, one of the victims on Flight 93.

“In the few moments I had to share with him, he shared with me his love for his sister but also his profound pride in what those people on that plane had done that day. Many of us who are here today in this Capitol may not have been here in this Capitol had they not been able to take the plane down and take it away from the terrorists that had hijacked it,” said Isakson.

“So as we remember the tragedy of 9-11, as we recommit ourselves as Americans to never, ever have an incident like that happen again, it is important that we remember each and every individual who lost their life in the tragedies of 9-11, whether it was in New York City, whether it was the Pentagon, or whether it was in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It was a tragic day in our country, a day that opened with great hope of blue skies and a warm autumn… and became the most tragic day in American history.”

“I am proud of the House and Senate for the honor they bestowed on Flight 93 and I encourage all of us in this body to never, ever forget the tragedy of that day and to renew our commitment to see to it that it never happens again.”

A national memorial in Shanksville, Pa., is scheduled to be completed by 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attacks.