It’s been 21 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and like so many Americans, I still remember exactly where I was that morning. We still mourn the thousands of lives that were lost and honor the many who were changed forever.

We remain profoundly grateful for the first responders who were there that day — those who raced heroically into the darkness of danger to help their fellow citizens. I am grateful for the law enforcement, intelligence agencies and armed services who have spent the last two decades defending our freedom and values around the world. These brave men and women have shown us what it means to serve and sacrifice.

San Diego is home to one of the largest populations of post-9/11 veterans, and for many of our servicemembers and their families, this anniversary stands out as we also mark one year since the Taliban regained control of Kabul.

In the past year, the U.S. has worked to evacuate remaining U.S. citizens and tackle the humanitarian crisis that has befallen the Afghan people – but we must do more to honor the promises we made.

Over 120,000 Afghans were displaced from their home, with thousands resettling across the U.S. and largely here in California. San Diego alone welcomed nearly 3,000 arrivals. This new refugee crisis hit at a time when our resettlement agencies were still recovering from debilitating funding cuts from the Trump administration – needless to say, we’ve had to work hard to catch up.

Take heart in knowing that our democracy is strong and we are determined to protect and advance freedom and peace around the world. We will never give up on our values and our commitments – no matter how deep the partisan divide.

Today, we recommit ourselves to doing the hard work ahead. We remember those we lost, and we honor the spirit and resilience of our nation.

Never forget,

Scott Peters