[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 243 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.Con.Res.243
                                        Agreed to April 18, 2002        

                      One Hundred Seventh Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
          the twenty-third day of January, two thousand and two


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and destroyed 4 
  civilian aircraft, crashing 2 of them into the towers of the World 
  Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon, and a 
  fourth in rural southwest Pennsylvania;

Whereas thousands of innocent Americans and many foreign nationals were 
  killed and injured as a result of these surprise terrorist attacks, 
  including the passengers and crews of the 4 aircraft, workers in the 
  World Trade Center and the Pentagon, firefighters, law enforcement 
  officers, emergency assistance personnel, and bystanders;

Whereas hundreds of public safety officers were killed and injured as a 
  result of these terrorist attacks because they immediately rushed to 
  the aid of innocent civilians who were imperiled when the terrorists 
  first launched their attacks, many of whom would perish when the twin 
  towers of the World Trade Center collapsed upon them;

Whereas thousands more public safety officers are risking their own 
  lives and long-term health in sifting through the aftermath and 
  rubble of these terrorist attacks to recover the dead;

Whereas the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001 (Public 
  Law 107-12; 115 Stat. 20) authorizes the President to award and 
  present, in the name of Congress, a Medal of Valor to public safety 
  officers for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty;

Whereas the Attorney General of the United States has discretion to 
  increase the number of recipients of the Medal of Valor under that 
  Act beyond that recommended by the Medal of Valor Review Board in 
  extraordinary cases in any given year;

Whereas the terrorist attacks in the United States of September 11, 
  2001, and their aftermath constitute the single most deadly assault 
  on our American homeland in our Nation's history; and

Whereas those public safety officers who have perished and those who 
  lead the efforts to rescue innocent civilians from the terrorist 
  attacks, are the first casualties and veterans of America's new war 
  against terrorism, which was authorized by the authorization for use 
  of military force enacted September 14, 2001: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
        (1) the President should award and present, in the name of 
    Congress, a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to those public 
    safety officers who were killed in the terrorist attacks in the 
    United States on September 11, 2001; and
        (2) the President should award and present a Public Safety 
    Officer Medal of Valor to those public safety officers who have 
    earned special recognition for outstanding valor above and beyond 
    the call of duty as named--
            (A) in consultation with the Mayor of the City of New York 
        and Governor of the State of New York for the attacks on New 
        York--
                (i) Commissioner of the New York City Police 
            Department;
                (ii) Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department; 
            and
                (iii) Executive Director of the Port Authority of New 
            York and New Jersey;
            (B) in consultation with the Chair of the Washington 
        Metropolitan Council of Governments, including the sitting 
        Chairs of the Police and Fire Chief Committees; and the Fort 
        Myer Federal Fire Chief, and the Governor of the Commonwealth 
        of Virginia for the attack at the Pentagon--
                (i) Fire Chief of Arlington County, Virginia; and
                 (ii) Police Chief of Arlington County, Virginia; and
            (C) in consultation with the Governor of the Commonwealth 
        of Pennsylvania for the plane crash in Pennsylvania--
                (i) Commandant of the Pennsylvania State Police; and
                (ii) Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National 
            Guard,
    or any of their designees, for their heroic actions on September 
    11, 2001, and thereafter during the rescue and recovery missions.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.