Ceremonies in Washington, New York mark Sept. 11 anniversary

Across the nation, bells tolled, firefighters stood at attention and, in many places, moments with no words at all were held for the second anniversary Thursday of the nation's worst terrorist assault, which killed more than 3,000 people.

In Washington, the House approved legislation to set up a memorial within the District of Columbia to honor the victims of terrorist attacks on the United States both at home and abroad. It also passed a measure posthumously awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to emergency responders killed in the attacks and to those who defied the hijackers on United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.

Congressional leaders and members also held a ceremony on the Capitol's West Front Terrace to pay tribute to the victims of the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York, as well as to Flight 93, which was believed to be heading for the U.S. Capitol.

"We knew that someone was taking something away from us that was very special-freedom," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.,who along with other congressional leaders noted in particular the bravery of the passengers aboard Flight 93. Hastert also said during the service that ongoing U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq were part of the fight against terrorism.

"We are taking the fight to those who want to take freedom away from us," he said. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said the Sept. 11 attacks had the effect of creating national unity, saying, "America is coming together as one."

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said, "It has been two years and our hearts still ache for the nearly 3,000 innocent people who died" in the terrorist attacks.

Across town at Arlington National Cemetery, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld presided over a wreath-laying ceremony and, noting the sun-drenched Pentagon behind him, remembered the 184 people killed there.

At the White House, President Bush stood with his staff on the South Lawn and bowed his head in silence at 8:46 a.m., the moment that the first terrorist-hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center. Bush started the day with a memorial service at St. John's Church across from the White House and was scheduled in the afternoon to travel with the first lady to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington for a private session with soldiers being treated there for wounds suffered in Iraq.

In New York City, more than 200 children, each of whom lost a relative in the attack that destroyed the World Trade Center, read the names of the 2,792 victims.