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Huizenga Statement Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of 9/11

Washington, September 11, 2026
Twenty-five years ago, our nation was forever changed. On September 11th, nearly 3,000 people were spending time with their friends, families, and loved ones for what would be the last time. For those of us who saw these tragic events unfold on national tv, the memories remain vivid. We remember watching in disbelief as a second plane struck the World Trade Center. We remember the smoke rising from the Pentagon and learning that another plane had gone down near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Across Southwest Michigan, friends. families, and communities, watched in disbelief. We prayed for our nation, our neighbors, and those directly impacted by his tragic day.

A quarter-century later, an entire generation of Americans know September 11 only as history. We promised to never forget, and part of that promise is ensuring we teach younger Americans about the events that transpired.

Our children and grandchildren should know about the passengers aboard Flight 93 who fought back. They should know about ordinary Americans who helped complete strangers in a time of crisis.
Teaching the next generation also means understanding what happened afterward too.

Across Southwest Michigan and the nation, Americans displayed the flag, gathered in churches, donated blood, and checked on their neighbors. At one of our darkest moments, Americans showed what courage, service, faith, and patriotism looked like.

Today, parents, grandparents, teachers, and veterans across Southwest Michigan have an important responsibility.

We cannot allow September 11th to merely become a chapter in a history book. We owe it to those who never came home, to the heroes who ran toward danger, and to friends and families who carry the memory of their lost loved ones forward. We must tell the next generation what happened that day, how our nation responded, and how every day Americans came together to meet the moment.

Twenty-five years ago, we promised we would never forget. Now, we must make sure they never do.