Gongressman Raul Grijalva on Osama bin Laden's death:

Thanks to a great deal of hard work and perseverance by our intelligence and military services, the world’s most notorious terrorist has met the same fate he dealt to generations of innocent civilians. While we will never calculate the homes destroyed, the lives ruined and the families broken on his account, we know that he will never again direct an attack or plan an operation. I extend my sincere thanks to President Obama and the many brave men and women involved in the operation, who have so diligently sought the final outcome that eluded us for the past decade.

This is not the end of our fight against terrorists who wish us harm, but it does close a decade-long chapter in that fight. Hopefully we can begin now to look at how we bring our soldiers home from Afghanistan and Iraq. To the man who claimed that he would never face American justice, we can now say that we have defeated him and are ready to move forward together as a stronger nation.”

“This morning, Congresswoman Giffords was briefed on the news that Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in a targeted operation by American military and intelligence personnel. As a proud Navy wife and dedicated member of the House Armed Services Committee, the congresswoman was pleased to hear of the courageous work by Navy Seals and other interagency forces in bringing bin Laden to justice, and relieved that they suffered no casualties.

“During her service on the House Armed Services Committee, Congresswoman Giffords has strongly supported policies to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda and other international terrorist threats. We are grateful to personnel at Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base who never wavered or relented prior to the execution of yesterday’s historic operation. They embody the resolve of a nation and the heroism and determination of all of its armed forces.

“Last night’s announcement allows all Americans to come to together to mark an important achievement in the history of our nation and to thank those who work to tirelessly defend the freedom we enjoy. Our office congratulates our military and intelligence services on a job well done. While terrorism remains a threat to our country, bringing Osama bin Laden to justice serves as a critical victory against Al Qaeda. It will not be the last.”

Sen. John McCain:

I am overjoyed that we finally got the world's top terrorist. The world is a better and more just place now that Osama bin Laden is no longer in it. I hope the families of the victims of the September 11th attacks will sleep easier tonight and every night hence knowing that justice has been done. I commend the President and his team, as well as our men and women in uniform and our intelligence professionals, for this superb achievement.

But while we take heart in the news that Osama bin Laden is dead, we must be mindful that al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies are still lethal and determined enemies, and we must remain vigilant to defeat them.