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“UNFINISHED BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8165 on Nov. 14, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNFINISHED BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have often risen to this floor over the last couple of weeks and spoken about the unfinished business of this House, and I again rise to my feet.
Let me, first of all, make a very brief comment about airline security. We had a deal, Mr. Speaker. We had a bill passed by 101 in the other body. We had the opportunity in this House to likewise pass that bill and immediately place it on the President's desk. The Republican majority chose not to do that, causing a conference and causing delay.
In the course of that delay, an individual went into O'Hare Airport with seven knives, a stun gun, and pepper spray. Now, I have legislation that I will be offering that criminalizes the carrying of knives and instruments of danger on airplanes, but I would much rather be passing a comprehensive airline security bill, and I hope we will do that.
I offer that in the spirit of bipartisanship and I offer that in the spirit of the voice of the American people. I have heard their voices, and I think their voices sing the same refrain: Help us protect ourselves and help us protect those who travel the airlines of America and around the world.
I also feel compelled to come to this floor to acknowledge the needs of two young women, Dayna Curry, who celebrated her birthday while incarcerated in an Afghanistan jail, and Heather Mercer, 24, both of them from the State of Texas. Let me thank their Congressperson, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), for his untiring efforts on their behalf.
I rise today as a mother, as the Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, as a woman, to ask whether or not these young ladies have been forgotten along with the other detainees. We now find out that with the Taliban they have been absconded off to the southern part of Afghanistan. We do not know where they are. We are told by Afghanistan detention center guards that they were nice young women; that they were taken away in the dark of night; that we do not know where they are. We believe they may be going off to a southern city.
We understand the conditions they were living in were none to be proud of. There was no four star and five star hotel. We understand that they tried to stay positive by singing songs and praying. We understand that they do not separate from each other. They are two Americans, I think there is a total of eight, and they are united.
We also understand that family members have not been able to talk with them; that they have not been able to meet with outside officials since their lawyers' last visit in late October. Who amongst us, Mr. Speaker, would tolerate that here in the United States or accept that?
These young women cannot be forgotten. And even though there may be some inner workings, some negotiation, I think the voice of the United States should be strong: We want our hostages returned. We want these young women returned. These young women were not violating any laws other than merciful efforts to help people to have a better life.
The Taliban should be challenged. Yes, they may be running away, the Northern Alliance may be victorious, they may be in Kabul, but we must stand up for these young women. I am looking to the State Department to begin to ask the hard questions about these young women, and I want to join with my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), to demand for their release, but also for a voice of the United States, the kind of voice we had with the hostages in Iran.
Let us have a voice as we parallel to fight terrorism and to fight against the Taliban. Have them give our people back and let our voices be loud.
Mr. Speaker, let me briefly thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis) for what she has been doing in acknowledging those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. As I begin to call their names, and I may not be able to conclude it, but I want to call their names and ask apologies of their families if I mispronounce them:
Harold Lizcano, Martin Lizzul, George Llanes, Elizabeth Claire
``Beth'' Logler, Catherine Lisa LoGuidice, Jerome Lohez, Michael Lomax, Stephen V. Long, Laura M. Longing, Salvatore Lopes, David Lopez, Maclovio ``Joe'' Lopez, George Lopez, Manuel ``Manny'' L. Lopez, Leobarbo Lopez, Daniel Lopez, Israel P. Lopez, Luis M. Lopez, Chet Louie, Stuart Seid Louis, Joseph Lovero, Sara Low, Michael W. Lowe, Garry Lozier, John Peter Lozowsky, Charles Peter Lucania, Edward
``Ted'' Hobbs Luckett, II, Mark G. Ludvigsen, Lee Charles Ludwig, Sean Thomas Lugano, Daniel Lugo, Jin Lui, Marie Lukas, William Lum, Jr., Michael P. Lunden, Christopher Lunder, Anthony Luparello, Gary Lutnick, Linda Luzzicone, Alexander Lygin, CeeCee Lyles, and Lyn Corea Gray.
They are all people. They lost their lives on September 11, 2001. It is the challenge of this House to pay tribute to them in the works we do and also to bring our hostages home.
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