Remembering the Lessons of 9/11: Preserving Tools and Authorities in the Fight Against Terrorism

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, a Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and a Con- gressman from New York, 9/11 was a very personal experience that continues to resonate with me. I lost over 150 neighbors, friends and constituents on September 11th, but no one has a monopoly on grief. This issue went to the soul of the entire country, and touches our lives nearly 15 years later. That day forces us to acknowledge, whether some of us want to or not, that we have an unyielding enemy, vicious and bitter, that will resort to any tactic to achieve its goal of destroying our pluralistic society, and any who do not submit to their view of Islam. Since then, the nature of the terror threat changed. Technology progressed. An act of betrayal compromised one of our best defenses against terror. And then both business and political support for lawful and necessary counterterror measures waned. Responsible leaders in the public and private sectors must act now to preserve and enhance the tools our intelligence agencies and law enforcement organizations need to protect the Homeland