United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
Search the website
September 11, 2001

Morning of the Attacks

Office of the Clerk ribbon/tiles/non-collection/o/oh_evnts_sept11_ribbon_hc_2002_030_001.xml Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this object
“Everybody was very calm, and you could see people coming from everywhere, just converging onto the Mall. We walked down several levels, down to the sort of flat, just before you get to the Mall. And all of us trying to get on our cell phones. And none of our cell phones worked. We wanted to let our families know that we were evacuating and that we were going to be fine. And we believed we would be. Because this was so difficult to take in. Such a difficult thing to, to comprehend. We were all working sort of on automatic.”
— Eve Butler-Gee, June 20, 2011
    Journal Clerk, Office of the Clerk

Video

Speaker Hastert and the Morning of the Attacks

Speaker Hastert recounts his memories from the morning of the attacks.
The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Interview recorded January 4, 2012 – Deed of Gift

Canceling the House Session

Speaker Hastert discusses his decision to cancel the morning session of the House.
The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Interview recorded January 4, 2012 – Deed of Gift

House Floor on September 11th

Eve Butler-Gee provides insight into the House proceedings the morning of the attacks.
Eve Butler-Gee, Journal Clerk, Office of the Clerk
Interview recorded June 20, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Floor Proceedings on September 11th

Reverend Daniel Coughlin remembers the House proceedings on the morning of September 11th.
Reverend Daniel Coughlin, Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives
Interview recorded May 27, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Morning of September 11th

The Honorable J. Martin Frost recollects the morning of September 11th at the Capitol.
The Honorable J. Martin Frost, U.S. Representative of Texas
Interview recorded April 28, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Learning of the Attacks

Steve Elmendorf offers personal memories before the attacks and of the evacuation of the Capitol.
Steve Elmendorf, Chief of Staff, Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri
Interview recorded June 1, 2011 – Deed of Gift

In the Cloakroom

Tyler Rogers describes learning of the attacks the morning of September 11th.
Tyler Rogers, Page, U.S. House of Representatives
Interview recorded May 5, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Attempt to Retrieve the House Journal

Eve Butler-Gee provides a detailed account of the Capitol evacuation on September 11th.
Eve Butler-Gee, Journal Clerk, Office of the Clerk
Interview recorded June 20, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Drafting a New Prayer

Father Gerry Creedon remembers the effect of the attacks on the House proceedings for September 11th.
Father Gerry Creedon, Guest Chaplain, Pastor, St. Charles Church, Arlington, VA
Interview recorded June 8, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Indefinite Emergency Recess

Charles W. Johnson details the parliamentary procedures on the morning of the attacks.
Charles W. Johnson, Parliamentarian, U.S. House of Representatives
Interview recorded June 9, 2011 – Deed of Gift

New York City on September 11th

Tom Quaadman offers an in-depth account of the dissemination of information and communication on the morning of September 11th.
Tom Quaadman, Chief of Staff, Representative Vito J. Fossella, Jr., of New York
Interview recorded May 26, 2011 – Deed of Gift

Prayers on September 11th

Reverend Daniel Coughlin recalls the prayers and song at the Capitol Police Headquarters after the attacks.
Reverend Daniel Coughlin, Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives
Interview recorded May 27, 2011 – Deed of Gift
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov