Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao

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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Second Anniversary of September 11, 2001 Remembrance Ceremony
Frances Perkins Building
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, September 11, 2003

Thank you, Brent [Orrell, Director of the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, U.S. Department of Labor], for that beautiful invocation.

Good morning, everyone.

Two years ago, most of us were at work—here at the Labor Department—when we first learned about the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

I don’t think any of us will ever forget that day.

We experienced it together, as a nation, and today we remember it together as one nation.

The President has proclaimed this a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance and designated September 11^th as Patriot Day.

So all across our country, people are gathering with us—at exactly the same moment—to remember the brave heroes, innocent victims and survivors of September 11^th.

We honor their memories and pray that their families and loved ones will be comforted.

We remember those in our DOL family who lost loved ones at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

We remember our colleagues whose offices were destroyed at the World Trade Center. They persevered and performed their duties courageously, yet some still bear the emotional scars of the horrors they witnessed that day.

We honor the heroism of every firefighter, every policeman, every port authority worker, and every other rescuer who ran towards the danger on September 11^th and gave their lives trying to save others.

We salute the courageous men and women of the skilled building trades who made tremendous personal sacrifices to recover and reclaim Ground Zero.

They showed the world the best our country has to offer.

We celebrate the generosity of millions of our fellow Americans who came together in a spontaneous outpouring of compassion and resolve to help our country recover.

And we honor our DOL colleagues who gave so much of themselves in the rescue, recovery and assistance efforts after September 11^th. Immediately after this ceremony, I hope you will join me for the unveiling of two bronze plaques near the Great Hall of the Frances Perkins building. They will serve as permanent tributes to the innocent victims and heroes of September 11^th and to our DOL colleagues who helped to deliver critical assistance in the aftermath.

Finally, let us remember our brave men and women in uniform who are on the front lines in the war against terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. They put their lives on the line for us everyday. And let us also recognize our Labor Department colleagues who are working along with them to build a free and just society for the Iraqi people.

I now ask all of you to join me in a moment of silent tribute, as our flag is unfurled, and we remember in our hearts all those mentioned today.

[The American flag in unfurled from the top of the Frances Perkins building.]

Now, I would like to welcome Kathleen Stapleton, who will lead us in the singing of our National Anthem.

[Kathleen Stapleton steps up to the podium.]

Thank you Kathleen for that beautiful rendition of our National Anthem.

As the President said in his Patriot Day Proclamation, the passage of time cannot erase the memories of September 11^th. But the millions of individual acts of courage and compassion we saw that day will endure far longer than any terrorist act and are the truest measure of the American spirit.

Thank you, for joining us in this very special tribute.

[Steven Law, the Chief of Staff, closes the ceremony.]

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