“On the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I am filled with a deep sense of tragedy and loss. But I am also filled with great pride as I remember the way Montanans and Americans bound together and answered the call to serve when we needed them most. With our country under attack, more Montanans volunteered to serve in the military per capita than any other state in the country. And since then, dozens of Montanans have given the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms. As we look back, my thoughts and prayers are with their families and the families of all those killed that day. As we look forward, I want to extend my sincerest thanks to all of our military troops, police and firefighters who continue to serve. I hope all of us can remember their courage and sacrifice and let our challenges unite, and not divide, us as we work together to tackle the tough issues facing our country today."

“Today we reflect on one of the darkest days in our history – a day that changed America forever. The attacks of September 11th brought us together as a nation and strengthened our need for security in a hostile world. We knew then as we know now that the men and women of our military are up to the task of defending this nation against any attack. They have proven it time and again since that awful day, and we thank them for their service. And we found that our support for liberty and personal freedom is shared by billions of people around the world. Let us take today to thank our service members, veterans, firefighters, police officers, medics and all emergency responders for the outstanding job that they do and to remember what makes the United States the greatest nation on earth. And let us continue to cherish our freedoms and values every day.”

“Today, our nation pauses to remember the senseless and cowardly September 11th terrorist attacks. We reflect on those who died, including the heroic first-responders who came to the aid of their fellow Americans. And we must also remember the ongoing sacrifice of our men and women in uniform whose service has allowed Americans to go about our daily lives free from the fear of another attack. To those who gave and those who continue to give, the gratitude of a nation is with you.”