Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the Justice Department’s September 11 Remembrance Ceremony

Remarks as Delivered

Good morning. 

Thank you for joining together today to mark the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

I ask that we please honor a moment of silence to honor those we lost that day.

Thank you.

September 11 is an enduring tragedy for this country.

It is enduring for those who lost friends and family members in the attacks and from 9/11-related illnesses in the years that followed.

It is enduring for the survivors who still carry the traumas and the scars of that day.

It is enduring for the law enforcement officers and agents, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, military personnel, and countless others — many ordinary citizens — who demonstrated extraordinary courage in the face of unspeakable horrors.

Today, we hold particularly close in our hearts the loved ones of the Justice Department employees who risked and lost their lives on 9/11 and from 9/11-related illnesses since then.

And we honor our colleagues who courageously responded to those attacks, and who have continued to serve our country through their work here at the Justice Department.

It is an honor to work with you.

Today, the Department joins Americans across the country in remembering and reflecting on the tragedy of September 11.

We renew our commitment to doing everything in our power to keep our country safe from the threat of terrorism, and to uphold the rule of law that is the foundation of our democracy.

And we rededicate ourselves to honoring those we lost, and their families, through our continued work.

Thank you.