Dear Families and Friends,

The attack on London last week has touched all of us deeply. It dredged up memories of our own loss and brought into sharp focus the dangers we continue to face today. We hope the ongoing police investigation will find the culprits responsible and give justice to the many families robbed of their loved ones on July 7. If anyone had any doubts about the terrorist’s ability to strike again, they were dispelled by the willful destruction of life the world witnessed last week. We must remain vigilant and prepared for another attack on America, without being ruled by our fears. We can each make a small contribution to fighting terrorism by refusing to be intimidated by this most recent act of barbarity. Fear is the terrorist’s most potent weapon—and the only one we can remove from their arsenal. We can also help by sending messages of good will to the families touched by the London bombings. To date, over twenty VOICES members have posted their sentiments on our bulletin board. We ask all of you to join them by adding your own thoughts and feelings. We will be collecting the postings throughout the coming weeks and are currently working with British officials to find the best way to reach the families. Also, VOICES has mental health professionals available for family members or friends feeling renewed distress because of the events in London. Please contact our office at 1-866-505-3911 or 203-966-3911 to speak with a mental health professional.

VOICES advocacy work continues. We were in Washington, DC again this week for a very candid panel addressing the need for important reforms in Congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies charged with keeping us safe. A summary of this week’s hearing and a preview of next week’s, on the very important subject of Civil Liberties and Security, are available for you in this issue of our weekly e-Newsletter. We hope you feel our weekly e-Newsletter is a valuable addition to your inbox every Friday. We are very interested in getting feedback from our readers on what you like and don’t like about the e-Newsletter and suggestions on how VOICES can serve you better. Thanks in advance for sending your thoughts or comments to info@voicesofsept11.org.

Warm Regards,
Mary Fetchet

Father's Group at a New Time

In an effort to make our Father's group more convenient, the group will now be meeting on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. This group was formed in response to a request from several fathers to join together with others to discuss their grief and lives after 9/11. This group is open to all fathers who lost a child on September 11th. There is no cost, but pre-registration is required. We encourage you to call VOICES at 1-888-505-3911 for more information about this and other groups.

Summary of Panel on Congressional Reform

This Monday, the 9/11 Public Discourse Project held its fifth public hearing, on the subject of Congressional Reform after 9/11, in Washington, DC. The panel offered a candid assessment on the need for changes in the culture of Congress and the way the two chambers oversee our national security agencies. This panel featured Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), the sitting chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and former Speaker of the House Tom Foley (D-WA). Speaker Foley joined his successor, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) in writing a call for Congressional Reform that was published as an Op-Ed in December, 2004. The panelists agreed that Congressional oversight of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other new government entities is, in the words of Speaker Foley, “divided and fractioned.” The panel agreed that Congress has done a good job of prodding the other branches of government to make the changes necessary to protect the homeland, including passing the vital Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act last December. But they have been slow, however, to act on the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations to reform their own oversight practices. In a Baltimore Sun Op-Ed last month, 9/11 Commission Chairman Tom Kean and Vice Chairman Lee Hamilton said, “ Congress is not organized to be an effective partner and watchdog in the post-9/11 era.” (more)

Even though the House of Representatives and the Senate both have permanent Homeland Security Committees, these committees do not exercise full oversight over the agency. The DHS was created in 2002 from 22 other government groups, such as the Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that were under the purview of many different Congressional committees. These include: Armed Services, Judiciary, Appropriations, Intelligence, and Government Affairs. Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA), the first Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, who will leave Congress soon to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, worked hard to make the Committee permanent and vest it with sufficient authority. His successor will have to work even harder to defend the Committee’s oversight authority and effectively supervise the new department on behalf of the American people.

Being a sitting Senator actively involved in these issues, Sen. Roberts has great credibility and his observations on Congressional oversight were enlightening. At one point, Senator Roberts stated that if 9/11 family members were to talk with the various chairmen, vice-chairmen and ranking members of the committees working on Homeland Security issues, “they would assure [the families] that they are doing the very best that they possibly can under their committee jurisdiction, and in many cases they are. It’s just that I think [Congress] can do better in regards to streamlining and better organization so that we get a better product.” Senator Roberts honest assessment shows that Congress still has a long way to go in reforming itself to be an effective partner in defending America. We will keep you posted on the progress of these necessary reforms.

Panel 6: Civil Liberties and Security

On Monday, July 18th, the Public Discourse Project will hold its sixth public panel to discuss the relationship between civil liberties and security in the post-9/11 age. This panel comes at an apt time, with the reauthorization of the Patriot Act looming over Congress, and the recent creation of a civil liberties oversight board. Recently, the Protection of Civil Liberties Act was introduced by Representatives Maloney (D-NY), Udall (D-NM) and Shays (R-CT). VOICES strongly supports (link to dear col) this legislation to strengthen civil liberties protections.

Richard Ben-Veniste, a former 9/11 Commissioner and current member of the 9/11 PDP will co-moderate Monday’s panel. He is currently a partner at the Washington law firm of Mayer, Brown, Rowe and Maw. Prior to serving on the Commission, Ben-Veniste served as an assistant US attorney and chief of the Watergate Task Force of the Watergate Special Prosecutor's Office, among other positions.

Fred F. Fielding, also a former 9/11 Commissioner and current member of the PDP, will co-moderate Monday’s panel along with Richard Ben-Veniste. Fielding is currently a senior partner and head of Wiley, Rein, & Fielding's Government Affairs, Business & Finance, Litigation and Crisis Management/White Collar Crime Practices. He has previously served as Counsel, Deputy Counsel, and Associate Counsel to the President of the United States. Please view a flyer for Monday’s panel, or visit the PDP website for more information.

Pentagon Memorial

As with the Flight 93 memorial, the Pentagon memorial is progressing in a timely and respectful manner. The design for the Pentagon memorial has already been selected and construction is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2006. The memorial consists of a Memorial Park inscribed with 184 Memorial Units—one for each of the victims inside the Pentagon and on board American Airlines Flight 77. The individual memorial unit is at once a glowing light pool, a cantilevered bench and a place for the permanent inscription of each victim’s name. The park is organized as a timeline of the victims’ ages, spanning from Dana Falkenberg, 3 years old, to John D. Yamnicky, age 71. Fifty-nine memorial units face one direction, 125 face the other – thus distinguishing victims on board AA Flight 77 from those who were inside the Pentagon. When visiting a memorial dedicated to a victim who was in the Pentagon, the visitor will see their engraved name and the Pentagon in the same view. Conversely, one would see the engraved name of a victim on Flight 77 with the sky. Please visit the Pentagon Memorial website for more pictures and information. If you would like to make a donation, visit the Pentagon Memorial Fund.


Featured Memorial Event
Matthew J. Burke Memorial Golf Classic

When: Monday, July 25 at 12:30 pm
Where: Rockville Links Golf Club, Rockville Center, NY

Join together with the friends and family of Matthew J. Burke for a day of golfing to benefit a memorial scholarship fund for students of Xavier High School. Please contact Paul Burke at (845) 735-2034 for more information.

Please click here to send us information on your memorial or foundation event. The information will be posted on our website and distributed in the newsletters.

The Smile Retrievers
Mario and Karen Canzoneri and Jake, Jessie, Mattie and Macie

Mario and Karen Canzoneri are the proud owners of four registered therapy dogs: Jake, Jessie, Mattie and Macie. For many, these four-legged therapists rekindle memories of comfort and affection in a time of despair. Since 9/11, the Canzoneri’s have frequented Ground Zero and numerous other sites with their golden retriever’s to provide comfort and companionship to the grieving families, rescue workers and volunteers. In the words of the Canzoneri's, "We will continue to help and support the family members of 9/11 for as long as we are wanted and are needed." We thank the Canzoneri’s, as well as Jake, Jessie, Mattie and Macie, for their dedication and commitment to all those in need of a smile.