Hillary Clinton used a Sept. 10 VOICES symposium in Lower Manhattan to reflect on the lessons of 9/11 and the run-up to the 25th anniversary observances at the World Trade Center site.
Clinton told NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell she worries the U.S. “has let down our guard on counterterrorism,” saying the threat “receded — but it is still there” and arguing the government needs better intelligence capacity and mission focus to confront both state and nonstate adversaries.
At the VOICES 25th Anniversary Symposium, Clinton also recalled standing at ground zero after the attacks and described the air as “a black curtain,” citing particulate-coated streets and throat irritation as she pressed for expanded screening and treatment for people with 9/11-related illnesses.
Those comments echoed her formal announcement to deliver remarks at the VOICES symposium earlier this year, a schedule item noted in event press materials; the three-day gathering drew former officials and advocates who planned tributes in New York on Sept. 11, the 25th anniversary itself.
Clinton urged federal, state and city cooperation to fund outreach, screening and treatment for responders and others suffering long-term health effects, saying more people with illnesses are not yet registered for assistance programs.
The symposium conversation and the city’s memorial events are part of a larger set of observances across New York and the United States marking 25 years since the attacks, where leaders gathered at Ground Zero and national memorials to honor victims and surface continuing policy questions about health care and national security.
The article places Clinton’s comments in the context of two policy threads she raised: counterterrorism staffing and the need for sustained funding for 9/11-related health programs. Her critique of current federal staffing and resource cuts was reported as part of the interview referenced above.
Sources
- NBC News — transcript and reporting of Clinton’s Sept. 10 VOICES symposium interview, her warning that the U.S. has “let down our guard” and her call for expanded screening and treatment.
- National Law Review — event notice that Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton was scheduled to deliver remarks at the VOICES 25th Anniversary Symposium.
- BBC News — live coverage noting leaders and memorial events taking place in New York on the 25th anniversary.
