Virginia Congressional Reps React to Osama News

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Osama bin Laden: 

“I want to commend our military and intelligence professionals for the coordinated and painstaking work that was responsible for tracking down Osama bin Laden.

“Bin Laden was behind the tragedies in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon in Northern Virginia on September 11th, 2001, the bombing of the Norfolk-based USS Cole in 2000, and countless other acts of terror that have killed thousands of innocent people.

"His death does not mean that the threat posed by terrorism to our nation has passed.  We must remain vigilant.

“But bin Laden’s death  does provide a sense of justice, and hopefully a measure of comfort, for those who have given so much in America’s  fight against international terrorism.” 

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Rep. Jim Moran (D), also weighed in on the news today:

“I congratulate President Obama, our military and intelligence communities, and in particular the servicemembers who carried out this operation. Nearly ten years ago, our nation was forever changed by the 9/11 attacks. I hope Bin Laden’s demise brings significant closure for all Americans, particularly to families of victims of that vile attack. This was a major strategic and psychological blow to what’s left of al-Qaeda.

“Bin Laden’s death further raises serious concerns about Pakistan’s role in the war on terror. The location of the operation, just outside their nation’s capital and in range of a major military facility, calls into question key aspects of our strategic alliance.”

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Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) issued this statement today:

"The confirmation by President Obama that Osama Bin Laden was killed by a secret U.S. government operation is a significant development in our war against Al Queda.  We have cut off the head of the evil terrorist organization that killed more than 3,000 Americans and thousands more across the world.
 
I hope the news of Bin Laden's death brings some measure of comfort to the families of those who perished in the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as well as the American military families who have lost sons and daughters in the war against terrorism. 
 
Justice has been served.
 
President Obama made it clear from his first days in office that bringing down Bin Laden was a top priority.  I applaud his persistence and that of our nation's military and intelligence community in seeking out Bin Laden.  I'm confident our forces will continue to aggressively pursue other Al Queda leaders and weaken this vile terrorist organization. 
 
While bringing this chapter of the war to closure is welcome news, the United States and other nations around the globe must remain vigilant to protect ourselves from future terrorist attacks and to further weaken Al Queda."

Editor's note: Spellings of al Qaida vary across the board. Patch uses the spelling al Qaida, according to AP Style. The original spellings within the press releases from these members were kept "as is."