Today marks the anniversary of one of America’s greatest tragedies, but also one of our greatest triumphs as we came together as a nation to rebuild, recover and always remember those we lost.

It is also important to remember what we’ve learned. The world is still a dangerous place and there are still those in it that mean America harm. And, that is why we must be vigilant about keeping our people and our country safe.

Because of the innovations of the American energy industry, we surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world’s top producer of natural gas and oil years ago. But, we’ve witnessed with the war in Ukraine and other events around the world that going backward and becoming dependent on bad acting nations for our energy is a mistake. The continued push to inhibit domestic oil and gas production in favor of renewable energy puts us at risk of doing just that. It is leading us to dependence on China which controls many of the materials and processing needed for those energy sources.

We must protect our achievements, not squander them. American domestic energy sources, like natural gas, create jobs and ensure more affordable energy for American families and businesses. But, our American energy independence is not just about the price of a tank of gas—it is about keeping our families safe and our nation sound.

At The Empowerment Alliance, we vow to never forget what we’ve lost and never stop fighting for the safety and security Americans deserve.