This week in Washington, I joined my colleagues in commemorating the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001.  One decade has passed, yet the incomprehensible evil of the 9/11 attacks remain vividly etched in the memory of all Americans. We will never forget watching heroic first responders swiftly aid their fellow Americans.  We will never forget joining families, friends and strangers alike in mourning the great loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives. Although our nation was attacked, we refused to allow the unspeakable violence to break our spirit, and the goodness of America shined brightly through one of the darkest days in our nation’s history.

The death of Osama bin Laden this year marked the triumph of freedom over tyranny, but not the end of the war against terrorism and evil.  We must never fail to recognize that hate-filled extremism is still ever-present in today’s world, and we should remain vigilant in defending the freedoms that so many have selflessly and courageously fought to protect. 

Today the House unanimously passed a resolution honoring the victims of 9/11 and reaffirming our deep commitment to taking every necessary and appropriate action to defend our nation and identify, intercept and defeat future terrorist threats. This anniversary serves as a solemn reminder of our responsibility to provide unwavering support to our men and women in uniform so that they may continue their quest to promote peace and stability.  As we commemorate 9/11, I am proud to join my constituents of the 32nd Congressional District in reflecting on the extraordinary patriotism of the American people and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

President Obama’s Address to Congress
On Thursday evening, President Obama addressed the nation and a joint session of Congress.  After our economy created zero new jobs in August, the American people demand and deserve for Washington to get serious about addressing our nation’s unemployment crisis. Unfortunately, the President used another speech to once again promote more of the same failed ‘Stimulus’ policies that the American people soundly rejected last November. To make matters worse, his spending plan would take more money directly out of the hands of American job creators.

Since January, House Republicans have passed 11 bills that could immediately help spur job creation, but have been stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate.  This fall, we will continue to build on pro-growth and regulatory-relief initiatives as outlined in our Plan for America’s Job Creators to create jobs and grow the economy. Removing job-destroying regulations and pursuing pro-growth tax relief will relieve businesses of increasing costs that are stunting growth and preventing job creation.  

While I welcome the President’s participation in the dialogue on how to help our economy create jobs, we must support real solutions that give employers a renewed confidence in innovation, investment and job creation. With a constant readiness to work with President Obama, House Republicans have and will continue to provide common-sense solutions to get Americans back to work and protect the American Dream.
 

TerraHawk Visit
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with Dallas-based TerraHawk, LLC during their visit to Washington, DC.  TerraHawk has developed the Mobile Utility Surveillance Tower (MUST) currently being utilized by law enforcement agencies to defend against drug trafficking and other illegal activity near our nation’s borders.

The MUST incorporates state of the art thermal cameras, ground radar and can be deployed within two minutes of arriving on location.  MUST is the only system currently available where a single person can operate the vehicle and deploy the surveillance capsule without ever having to leave safety of the interior.  This ease of deployment not only gives us incredible new capability against those trying to circumvent the surveillance net, but improves the protection of those in the field.

I enjoyed visiting with TerraHawk designers and engineers about how their technology can help protect our nation’s borders and keep our border control personnel safe. In the face of increasing border violence, this technology capability has the potential to assist with our nation’s battle against drug trafficking and border protection. I will continue to work to ensure we are doing everything in our power to protect those who protect us. To learn more about TerraHawk, visit their website.
 

Passport Day
Next Saturday, the Dallas Passport Agency is hosting “Passport Day in the USA 2011.”  If you plan to travel outside of the U.S., the agency will provide all of the relevant information you need to know regarding travel requirements and how to apply. 

What: Passport Day in the USA 2011

When: September 17, 2011 from 10:00am – 3:00pm

Where: Dallas Passport Agency
Earle Cabell Federal Building
1100 Commerce Street, Suite 1120
Dallas, TX 75242

For more information regarding passport information, fees and forms, you can also visit http://travel.state.gov.