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

"Due to the Circumstances of Today": The U.S. House of Representatives Remembers September 11, 2001

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
To commemorate the events of September 11, 2001, the Office of the House Historian conducted a series of interviews with former Representatives, House officials, and employees. These interviews provide a comprehensive account of the events and emotions in the U.S. House of Representatives that day. They also reveal how the institution addressed the national challenge in the weeks and months following the attack. “Due to the Circumstances of Today”—the quotation used in the title of this project—was the language drafted by House officials for the Congressional Record to explain the emergency recess on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Video

Introduction

Introduction to the September 11, 2001, Commemorative Project
Matt Wasniewski, Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives

September 11, 2001: A Narrative

During one terrifying morning in early September 2001, Capitol Hill watched as terrorists attacked New York City and Arlington, Virginia. That day many people wondered if the U.S. Congress was next. Watch as Members, Officers, and staff at the U.S. House of Representatives give a detailed account of September 11, 2001. The narrative includes memories of the House’s emergency recess, the evacuation of the U.S. Capitol, the secure location provided for House and Senate leaders, and the Members’ press conference on the Capitol steps that evening.

Related Content

“Can I Actually Close Down Congress?”
“Can I Actually Close Down Congress?”
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov