[House Hearing, 107 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
H.R. 2982 and H.R. 3380
=======================================================================
LEGISLATIVE HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION, AND PUBLIC LANDS
of the
COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
March 19, 2002
__________
Serial No. 107-96
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Resources
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COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah, Chairman
NICK J. RAHALL II, West Virginia, Ranking Democrat Member
Don Young, Alaska, George Miller, California
Vice Chairman Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts
W.J. ``Billy'' Tauzin, Louisiana Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Jim Saxton, New Jersey Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon
Elton Gallegly, California Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee Samoa
Joel Hefley, Colorado Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Ken Calvert, California Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Scott McInnis, Colorado Calvin M. Dooley, California
Richard W. Pombo, California Robert A. Underwood, Guam
Barbara Cubin, Wyoming Adam Smith, Washington
George Radanovich, California Donna M. Christensen, Virgin
Walter B. Jones, Jr., North Islands
Carolina Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Mac Thornberry, Texas Jay Inslee, Washington
Chris Cannon, Utah Grace F. Napolitano, California
John E. Peterson, Pennsylvania Tom Udall, New Mexico
Bob Schaffer, Colorado Mark Udall, Colorado
Jim Gibbons, Nevada Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Mark E. Souder, Indiana James P. McGovern, Massachusetts
Greg Walden, Oregon Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Puerto Rico
Michael K. Simpson, Idaho Hilda L. Solis, California
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado Brad Carson, Oklahoma
J.D. Hayworth, Arizona Betty McCollum, Minnesota
C.L. ``Butch'' Otter, Idaho
Tom Osborne, Nebraska
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Dennis R. Rehberg, Montana
Tim Stewart, Chief of Staff
Lisa Pittman, Chief Counsel/Deputy Chief of Staff
Steven T. Petersen, Deputy Chief Counsel
Michael S. Twinchek, Chief Clerk
James H. Zoia, Democrat Staff Director
Jeffrey P. Petrich, Democrat Chief Counsel
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION, AND PUBLIC LANDS
GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California, Chairman
DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN, Virgin Islands Ranking Democrat Member
Elton Gallegly, California Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American
Joel Hefley, Colorado Samoa
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Walter B. Jones, Jr., North Tom Udall, New Mexico
Carolina, Mark Udall, Colorado
Vice Chairman Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Mac Thornberry, Texas James P. McGovern, Massachusetts
Chris Cannon, Utah Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Puerto Rico
Bob Schaffer, Colorado Hilda L. Solis, California
Jim Gibbons, Nevada Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Mark E. Souder, Indiana
Michael K. Simpson, Idaho
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hearing held on March 19, 2002................................... 1
Statement of Members:
Christensen, Hon. Donna M. a Delegate in Congress from the
Virgin Islands............................................. 4
Hansen, Hon. James V., a Representative in Congress from the
State of Utah.............................................. 3
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 4
Holt, Hon. Rush, a Representative in Congress from the State
of New Jersey.............................................. 5
Jenkins, Hon. William, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Tennessee......................................... 31
Prepared statement on H.R. 3380.......................... 32
Norton, Hon. Eleanor Holmes, a Delegate in Congress from the
District of Columbia, Press Release submitted for the
record..................................................... 7
Radanovich, Hon. George P., a Representative in Congress from
the State of California.................................... 1
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982 and H.R. 3380............ 2
News Release submitted for the record.................... 8
Turner, Hon. Jim, a Representative in Congress from the State
of Texas................................................... 9
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 10
Statement of Witnesses:
Anderson, Lt. Colonel Ted, United States Army, Washington,
D.C........................................................ 19
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 20
Ballard, Matt, General Manager, Sevier County Utility
District, Sevierville, Tennessee........................... 32
Prepared statement on H.R. 3380.......................... 33
Beamer, Lisa, Cranbury, New Jersey........................... 13
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 15
Finley, Joe, Fire Department of New York, New York, New York. 11
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 12
Howell, Liz, Arlington, Virginia............................. 16
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 17
Smith, P. Daniel, Special Assistant to the Director, National
Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington,
D.C........................................................
Oral statement on H.R. 2982.............................. 22
Prepared statement on H.R. 2982.......................... 25
Oral statement on H.R. 3380.............................. 36
Prepared statement on H.R. 3380.......................... 36
Additional materials supplied:
Cogbill, John V., III, Chairman, National Capital Planning
Commission, Letter submitted for the record................ 38
LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 2982, TO AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
MEMORIAL WITHIN THE AREA IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REFERRED TO IN THE
COMMEMORATIVE WORKS ACT AS ``AREA I'' OR ``AREA II'' TO THE VICTIMS OF
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH A MEMORIAL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; AND H.R. 3380,
TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO ISSUE RIGHT-OF-WAY
PERMITS FOR NATURAL GAS PIPELINES WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK.
----------
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
U.S. House of Representatives
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands
Committee on Resources
Washington, DC
----------
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2 p.m., in room
1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. George Radanovich
[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, A
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Mr. Radanovich. Good afternoon and welcome to the hearing
today. The Subcommittee will come to order. This afternoon, the
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands
will hear testimony on two bills, H.R. 2982 and H.R. 3380. The
first bill, H.R. 2982, introduced by Congressman Jim Turner of
Texas, would authorize the establishment of a memorial in the
District of Columbia to the victims of terrorist attacks of the
United States and to provide for the design and construction of
such a memorial. It is my understanding that Congressman Turner
envisions a living memorial that would continuously recognize
any American who lost their life, either at home or abroad, to
a terrorist act.
Currently two units in the national park system memorialize
Americans killed by acts of terror, the USS Arizona Memorial in
Pearl Harbor, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial
commemorating the 168 people killed when the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building was bombed in April 1995. Recently our Nation
has marked the 6-month anniversary of the September 11 tragedy,
a new day of infamy, and it is certainly fitting that we are
here today to begin an important and certainly emotional
discussion on whether Congress should establish a national
memorial located here in the Nation's Capitol to honor all the
innocent victims of terrorism--past, present and,
unfortunately, the future.
Mr. Radanovich. More in contrast, is there a need and
desire to establish multiple national memorials at locations
across the country that have become victims of terrorism. For
example, a Member of Congress from Pennsylvania recently
introduced legislation to establish a national memorial in
western Pennsylvania to honor the heroic actions of the
passengers of Flight 93 who made the ultimate sacrifice and
probably saved the lives of hundreds of Americans on Capitol
Hill. In addition, efforts are underway by the city of New York
to create a memorial at the site of the former World Trade
Center. I look forward to hearing the thoughts from our
witnesses on this issue.
Our other bill, H.R. 3380, introduced by Congressman
William Jenkins of Tennessee, would authorize the Secretary of
the Interior to issue rights-of-way permits for natural gas
pipelines within the boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, similar to that already issued to the Blue Ridge
and Natchez Trace Parkways.
It is my understanding that the National Park Service
testified in support of similar legislation in the Senate. At
this time, I would like to ask unanimous consent that
Congressman Turner and Congressman Jenkins be permitted to sit
on the dais following their statements. Without objection, so
ordered.
And I also ask that the 5-minute rule be waived and want to
make sure that anybody with a camera is known they are welcome
to be up in here within the well taking pictures during the
course of the hearing. So with that, I appreciate Jim Turner,
and Mr. Jenkins, and all the other witnesses here to testify
today, and I now turn my time over to Chairman Hansen for an
opening statement.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Radanovich follows:]
Statement of The Honorable George P. Radanovich, Chairman, Subcommittee
on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands, on H.R. 2982 and H.R.
3380
Good afternoon and welcome to the hearing today. The Subcommittee
will come to order. This afternoon, the Subcommittee on National Parks,
Recreation, and Public Lands will hear testimony on two bills, H.R.
2982 and H.R. 3380.
The first bill, H.R. 2982, introduced by Congressman Jim Turner of
Texas, would authorize the establishment of a memorial within the
District of Columbia to the victims of terrorist attacks on the United
States, and to provide for the design and construction of such a
memorial. It is my understanding that Congressman Turner envisions a
``living'' memorial that would continuously recognize any American who
lost their life--either home or abroad--to a terrorist act. Currently,
two units in the Park System memorialize Americans killed by acts of
terror--The USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the
Oklahoma City National Memorial commemorating the 168 people killed
when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed in April 1995.
Recently, our Nation marked the six month anniversary of the
September 11 tragedy--a new day of infamy. It is certainly fitting that
we are here today to begin an important and certainly emotional
discussion on whether Congress should establish a national memorial
located here in the Nation's Capitol to honor all the innocent victims
of terrorism--past, present and, unfortunately, future victims. Or, in
contrast, is there a need and desire to establish multiple national
memorials at locations across the country that have become victims of
terrorism. For example, a Member of Congress from Pennsylvania recently
introduced legislation to establish a national memorial in western
Pennsylvania to honor the heroic actions of the passengers of Flight 93
who made the ultimate sacrifice and probably saved the lives of
hundreds of Americans on Capitol Hill. In addition, efforts are under
way by the city of New York to create a memorial at the site of the
former World trade Center. I certainly look forward to hearing the
thoughts of our witnesses on this issue.
Our other bill, H.R. 3380, introduced by Congressman William
Jenkins of Tennessee, would authorize the Secretary of the interior to
issue right-of-way permits for natural gas pipelines within the
boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park similar to that already
issued to the Blue Ridge and the Natchez Trace Parkways. It is my
understanding the National Park Service testified in support of similar
legislation in the Senate.
At this time, I would like to ask unanimous consent that
Congressman Turner and Congressman Jenkins be permitted to sit on the
dais following their statements. Without objection, [PAUSE] so ordered.
Once again, I appreciate Congressman Turner and Congressman Jenkins
and all the other witnesses being here to testify today and I now turn
the time over to the ranking member, Mrs. Christensen for an opening
statement.
______
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE JAMES V. HANSEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF UTAH
Mr. Hansen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks for all you
folks for being here today. This is a bill that my colleague
from Texas, Mr. Turner, talked to me about it and we felt that
this was really a good idea. The strength of these people is
totally amazing in my mind. I see the four that are here today,
the strength that they have, the will of the American people.
One of the greatest tragedies that America has ever
experienced.
I guess a lot of us felt we were leading up to it and I
think Mr. Turner wisely decided that this would be a memorial
to all of those who have suffered from terrorism. You know,
back when I was a Korean War veteran, the theory was that is
the enemy. Second World War, we knew who the enemy was. We
always knew the enemy. How do you get your arms around this
one. And this is one that is going to be with us for a long
time and I think it is extremely fitting. We were having lunch
with the four here today. Joe Finley of New York made an
interesting statement, he said, this won't come to closure and
really it shouldn't, because if you look at it, this doesn't
end. This is something we will remember forever and will be
part of our history forever and it should be.
Now we are privileged that these four folks would be here
and I am amazed at the strength of everyone. I also look around
America and I can't believe the strength of Americans at this
time at how well they have handled this very big tragedy, how
they have united together and how we have tried to drop
partisan politics and say let us do what is right for this
country.
First and foremost, we are not Republicans, we are not
Democrats. We are Americans. That is how we have to look at
this thing and this is one of those bills that we can do it.
Now at the press conference, some folks said we are a little
worried about it. Can it be placed on the memorial? We are not
going to get into the minutia. We think that can work out, and
in my humble opinion, that will work out, and as long as I
chair this Full Committee, we will push this bill and hopefully
we can get the House of Lords to do something over there.
They are having a little trouble of moving at a rapid clip,
but maybe there is some way in the world we can get those guys
to do something, and I think we can. Mr. Turner is a very
persuasive individual, and the rest of us will be there to help
him. And because I have not followed my script here, Mr.
Chairman, I would ask that my entire testimony be placed in the
record, OK.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Hansen follows:]
Statement of The Honorable James V. Hansen, Chairman, Committee on
Resources
Thank you Mr. Radanovich. Today's hearing is very important for the
American people. Each of us have been touched in some way by terrorist
attacks against Americans, whether on foreign or domestic soil. We have
the opportunity today to acknowledge the thousands of victims whose
lives have been lost because of acts of terrorism in our nation's
history, through a memorial in their honor. I appreciate my good
friend, Mr. Turner from Texas, and his efforts to get the ball rolling
on this important issue.
H.R. 2982, which I co-sponsored, would authorize the establishment
of a memorial to the victims of terrorist attacks on the United States
and would provide for its design and construction. It would establish a
living memorial to recognize any American that has lost their life to a
terrorist act.
A few days ago, we solemnly acknowledged the 6-month anniversary of
the events of September 11th. We are privileged to have before the
subcommittee today, survivors of this tragic ordeal. Included on the
panel is Mrs. Elizabeth Howell, who works for our Committee. Liz lost
her husband Brady in the Pentagon. This loss particularly brought this
tragedy home for me. Also included is Mrs. Lisa Beamer, whose husband
was a passenger on the hijacked flight that crashed in Pennsylvania;
Joe Finley, a New York City fireman that lost most of his squad in the
World Trade Center Collapse; and Lt. Colonel Ted Anderson who pulled
several colleagues out of the Pentagon rubble. Thank you all for
coming. I look forward to hearing your testimony. I also applaud and
respect you for the strength and courage you have shown throughout
these difficult times. Our hearts are with all of you, and go out to
all the others who could not be here with us today.
This memorial would also commemorate those who lost their lives in
other terrorist attacks against American citizens in events such as the
1983 bombing in Beirut, the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103, and the
attack of the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen.
We can never completely repair the damage that has been done by
terrorists that hate liberty and freedom. What we can do is honor the
memory of our beloved lost and never forget what has happened. Last
year's events brought us together as a nation, and showed the rest of
the world what America stands for. This memorial is the next step.
Let's do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. Radanovich.
______
Mr. Radanovich. No objection.
Mr. Hansen. I thank you.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you Mr. Chairman, I now recognize the
Gentlelady from the Virgin Islands, Ms. Donna Christensen.
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE DONNA CHRISTENSEN, A DELEGATE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Mrs. Christensen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I join you in
welcoming our witnesses to the hearing today and thank them for
their time and effort in helping us to gather information on
the measures we have before us this afternoon in the
Subcommittee, particularly H.R. 2982, a proposal to place a
memorial on the National Mall or other National Park Service
land in a prominent place in Washington, commemorating the
events of September 11.
Our goal must be to create a memorial that not only honors
those whose lives were lost or changed by the terrorist
attacks, but also to create a lasting memorial that will tell
the full story for generations to come. And this is such an
important memorial that I also hope that we will take every
precaution to do this in the manner that was laid out by our
colleague, Mr. Jim Turner, and avoid controversy so that we can
move forward and have this memorial done. It is so important
that we have this testimony to the lives, as I said, that were
lost and changed on that day.
Mr. Chair, you and I had an opportunity to meet and get to
know Lisa Beamer, Colonel Ted Anderson, Firefighter Joe Finley
and our own Liz Howell over lunch, and I was deeply moved and
encouraged as I have been by their strength and dedication as
exhibited since September 11. And since that day, I have been
to many memorials, including the one at the White House last
week, and we have been privileged to host New York firefighters
in my district, but I still have the sense that I wanted to do
something more, something meaningful and lasting.
And today I want to thank my colleague, Jim Turner, our
Chairman, Chairman Hansen, for giving me the opportunity to do
that as Ranking Member--I am trying to take away your place
here--as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Parks and Public
Lands by holding this hearing and beginning the process of
making this memorial a reality.
The four individuals who are here today on this bill at a
time of great challenge, and at one of the darkest hours in
this country, for their courage and grace kept us strong,
united and focused. And for that, we and all Americans indeed,
the whole world will be forever grateful. And so we look
forward to the insights from our witnesses regarding H.R. 2982
as well as some of the other proposals that are going to be
considered today.
Our second bill would authorize the Secretary of the
Interior to issue right-of-way permits for an existing natural
gas pipeline as well as future natural gas pipelines that would
cross or parallel three road segments that lead to the main
body of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Again, we must be
careful in approving such activities and I would be very
interested and look forward to learning from the Park Service
what steps would be taken to ensure that these pipelines have
no negative impact on park resources or visitor use.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I will have a little more than
that in my testimony but I will submit that for the record.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mrs. Christensen. And before I
introduce Congressman Turner, are there any other opening
statements wish to be made? Mr. Holt or Mr. Tancredo?
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE RUSH HOLT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Mr. Holt. Mr. Chairman. I would like to commend our
colleague, Mr. Turner, for sponsoring this legislation. There
are many things that we have learned and still some things we
have yet to learn from the events of last September 11. But one
of the things we have learned is the need to recognize the
sacrifices that have been thrust upon so many families in
America. And we are reminded that these are things that we
should have done before. There were a number of things that
were brought to our attention that day that are reminders of
things we should have done before. This memorial will recognize
those who--the families that were forced--had sacrifices thrust
on them years ago, and even those families who I shudder to say
will have such things thrust on them in years to come. I am not
quite sure what you call a memorial to things that haven't
happened yet, but this is what this memorial will be, and it is
certainly appropriate that you are doing this and I look
forward to the testimony.
I am particularly pleased to recognize Lisa Beamer here,
who lives not far from where I live, and who has bore her
personal grief with such dignity and poise in a way that has
been helpful to, I think, millions of people around the
country.
So I am particularly pleased to see Lisa Beamer here today,
but also Joe Finley and Liz Howell and Colonel Anderson. So I
thank you Mr. Chairman for scheduling these hearings and I look
forward to this memorial becoming a reality soon.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Holt.
Any other opening statements before we turn to our
witnesses? Mr. Kildee?
[A press release submitted for the record by Delegate
Norton follows:]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 78261.004
[A press release submitted for the record by Mr. Radanovich
follows:]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 78261.001
Congressman Jim Turner, thank you very much for introducing
this bill and welcome before the Subcommittee. And after your
testimony any questions you are certainly more than welcome to
join us on the dais. And with that, you may begin. H.R. 2982
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE JIM TURNER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS
Mr. Turner. Thank you, Chairman Radanovich and Ranking
Member Christensen, and members of the Committee, I appreciate
your holding the hearing on this legislation that Chairman
Hansen and I have joined together to sponsor to create this
memorial to the victims of terrorism. I also want to thank the
witnesses who have come today: Lisa Beamer, Liz Howell, Joe
Finley, Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson, all of whom suffered
great loss on September 11.
Each of them have a story to tell that we all find very
compelling and certainly highlights the significance of the
memorial that is the subject of this legislation. We know that
the events of September 11 marked the first attack carried out
on American soil by foreign adversaries since Pearl Harbor, and
it was the first attack on the mainland of the United States
since the War of 1812. More Americans lost their lives on that
day than on any day in American history since the battle of
Antietam in the Civil War.
Almost 3,000 died at the World Trade Center, including 343
firefighters and 60 police officers; 189 died in the attack on
the Pentagon and 45 died on United Flight 93 that crashed in
Pennsylvania. On that fateful day many more would have lost
their lives were it not for the selfless acts of courage
carried out by many brave Americans, like Todd Beamer, whose
widow is with us today, and Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson,
who pulled survivors from the burning rubble of the Pentagon.
Chairman Hansen and I believe, and I know you join me in
the conviction, that America must never forget what happened on
that day. America must forever remember those who died and
those whose lives will never be the same. The loss, the
suffering, the pain, the shattered dreams--all caused by evil
terrorists on a clear September morning--left America a
different place and ended an age of peace and personal security
at home that we all long for.
On September 11, our President, the Congress and the
American people responded with one voice to declare war on
terrorism. This great tragedy defined a war that did not begin
on that day, nor can its end be predicted. We know that the
great wars of the past have been fought with massive armies and
conventional weapons; objectives were often defined in terms of
defeating armies and taking control of land mass. But in the
latter part of our 20th century, we began to be exposed to a
new form of warfare fueled by technological progress in which
developed societies became more vulnerable to attack and
weapons accessible to terrorists became more lethal and
effective.
The rise of extremism rooted in religious fanaticism
produced terrorists who willingly gave their lives for their
cause and take the lives of innocent people without remorse.
The great memorials that dot the landscape of our Nation's
capital reflect the course of American history and are a
constant reminder to all of us of our mutual commitment to
freedom, justice and democracy. We see these shared values in
our monuments to great leaders and we see them in our memorials
to the soldiers who died in great wars fought in Europe, in the
Pacific, in Korea and Vietnam.
The war on terrorism, the first war of the 21st century,
will not be marked by one geographic location. It is a global
war that has been, is being, and will be fought at home and
abroad. Though they have lost their lives in places far and
near over a span of time that includes past, present and
perhaps the future, the victims of terrorism, both civilian and
military, deserve solemn tribute, for they died at the hands of
the enemy of America because they were Americans.
This memorial will honor those Americans whose lives have
been lost to terrorism and will symbolize the great struggle in
which we are now engaged. And some day this memorial will mark
the time and the course of history when freedom and respect for
the dignity of man overcame tyranny and hate and evil. Indeed,
this memorial will stand for the age when America faced its
greatest challenge, stood tall, persevered and protected peace,
progress and civility for all mankind.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present this
legislation to the Committee, and I thank Chairman Hansen for
his sponsorship of this legislation with me. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Turner follows:]
Statement of The Honorable Jim Turner, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Texas, on H.R. 2982
Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I would like to thank
you for holding this hearing on H.R. 2982, legislation sponsored by
Chairman Hansen and me along with 124 other cosponsors to create in our
nation's capital a national memorial to all victims of terrorism
against the United States.
I would also like to thank Lisa Beamer, Liz Howell, Joe Finley, and
Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson, all of whom suffered great loss on
September 11th, for being with us today. Each of them will share with
you a compelling personal story that highlights the significance of
this memorial.
The events of September 11th marked the first attack carried out on
American soil by a foreign adversary since Pearl Harbor and the first
attack on the mainland since the War of 1812. More Americans lost their
lives on that day than on any day in American history since The Battle
of Antietam in the Civil War.
Almost three thousand died at the World Trade Center, including 343
firefighters and 60 police officers. 189 died in the attack on the
Pentagon. 45 died on United Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.
On that fateful day many more would have lost their lives were it
not for the selfless acts of courage carried out by many brave
Americans like Todd Beamer, whose widow is with us today, and Lt.
Colonel Ted Anderson, who pulled survivors from the burning rubble of
the Pentagon.
America must never forget what happened that day, and America must
forever remember those who died and those whose lives will never be the
same. The loss, the suffering, the pain, the shattered dreams--all
caused by evil terrorists on a clear September morning--left America a
different place and ended an age where peace and personal security at
home was taken for granted.
On September 11th, our President, the Congress, and the American
people responded with one voice to declare war on terrorism. This great
tragedy defined a war that did not begin on that day nor can its end be
predicted.
The great wars of the past have been fought with massive armies and
with conventional weapons. Objectives were defined in terms of
defeating armies and taking control of land masses. In the latter half
of the 20th Century, we began to be exposed to a new form of warfare
fueled by technological progress where developed societies became more
vulnerable to attack and weapons accessible to terrorists became more
lethal and effective. The rise of extremism rooted in religious
fanaticism produced terrorists who willingly give their lives for their
cause and take the lives of innocent people without remorse.
The great memorials that dot the landscape of our nation's capital
reflect the course of American history and are a constant reminder of
our commitment to freedom, justice and democracy. We see these shared
values in our monuments to great leaders, and we see them in our
memorials to the soldiers who died in great wars fought in Europe, in
the Pacific, in Korea, and in Vietnam.
The war on terrorism--the first war of the 21st Century--will not
be marked by one geographic location. It is a global war that has been,
is being, and will be fought at home and abroad. Though they have lost
their lives in places far and near over a span of time that includes
the past, present and perhaps the future, the victims of terrorism,
both civilian and military, deserve solemn tribute, for they died at
the hands of the enemies of America because they were Americans.
This memorial will honor those Americans whose lives have been lost
to terrorism and will symbolize the great struggle in which we are now
engaged. And some day this memorial will mark the time in the course of
history when freedom and respect for the dignity of man overcame
tyranny and hate and evil. Indeed, it will stand for the age when
America faced its greatest challenge, stood tall, persevered and
protected peace, progress and civility for all mankind.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much, Mr. Turner and I
appreciate it and, again, you are more than welcome to join us
on the dais as we call our next panel.
Mr. Radanovich. Are there any questions by the way of Mr.
Turner? Forgive me. I was a little out of order there. But I am
sure we can ask him from up here. I do want to move to the next
panel, since we have some panel members who are trying to catch
flights. So I would like to welcome the next panel, first
starting with Mr. Joe Finley, who is with the Fire Department
of New York City, and who lost most of his squad in the World
Trade Center collapse.
Mr. Radanovich. Joe, it was a pleasure to meet you a little
bit earlier and would invite you to begin your testimony if you
like.
STATEMENT OF JOE FINLEY, FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK
Mr. Finley. Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, we
must have a memorial dedicated to the victims of terrorism.
They are important reasons, duty, honor, freedom. These things
are at the core of every American. As a fire firefighter, I am
bound by my oath of office to do my duty. It is a duty that I
freely accept. I made a pledge that I swore to uphold. I have a
duty to my fellow man, even at the risk of supreme sacrifice. I
lost nine men from my fire house on September 11. They were
among the 344 firefighters who gave their lives as heros
putting themselves in harm's way to save their fellow man. They
were also victims of terrorism. Prior to that tragic day, the
greatest loss of firefighters in any one time in the entire
United States occurred in 1966 when 12 firefighters died in
what became known as the 23rd street fire in Manhattan. My
father, Lieutenant John Finley, was one of them. I was 10 years
old. We have all made a pledge to each other as Americans.
Stated in one sentence, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of
the United States and to the republic for which it stands, one
Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all.
That simple pledge is why the terrorists attacked us on
September 11. They despise our republic. They want us to
abandon our freedom of religion, give up our liberty. They want
us divided and scattered. They hate our justice and the
inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator, life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is our duty to educate
the future generations of America so they can learn from our
mistakes, so we will never let our guard down again. We must
never forget. There is no closure. We must not forget our loved
ones. We were attacked by fanatics who wanted to destroy all
Americans. That doesn't matter what that cult of evil tried to
steal from us on that terrible day. It is what we do with what
is left that counts.
They tried to steal our freedom, the very thing that makes
America great. We cannot let that happen. We need to honor our
dear ones. It is our sacred duty. They were murdered simply
because they were Americans. They died for our freedom. Our
ideals were attacked on 9/11. This memorial is for us as well.
There but for the grace of God go I. The victims must be
remembered in a dignified way with a memorial that honors their
sacrifice for our freedom. People have been asking me what can
we do to help? We want to feel connected. I witnessed something
incredible on September 11. I was never prouder to be an
American.
All the politicians disappeared. And in their place stood
statesmen. We proudly and defiantly displayed our American
flags. They were everywhere. Our churches were filled. People
volunteered in any way they could. In New York City and across
the country, lines stretched onto the sidewalks with people
waiting to give blood. Trucks were filled with supplies and
driven toward New York City without being asked, without a
final destination. They arrived and the volunteers asked where
can we give this. Where will it do the most good. There have
been volunteers at the site of the World Trade Center 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week since September 11. They are there right
now. We have been left with a great legacy, courage, faith,
hope and love. There is a plaque for my father and each of the
men our fire house lost in the line of duty since 1865. There
are 15 of them. We are going to have to add nine more after
September 11.
I know how important it is that we never forget our loved
ones, our heroes. We need to keep the legacy alive. It was left
to us by all those who died at the hands of terrorists. It is
our responsibility to foster that legacy, to nurture it and
make sure that it is never forgotten. Thank you.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Finley, for your testimony,
and I know that you are under tight time constraints to catch a
flight back to New York. With that, I would ask if there are
any questions from any particular member of the Committee? And
if not, I want to thank you and please take your thanks to the
firefighters and policemen of New York City when you return.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Finley follows:]
Statement of Joe Finley, Fire Department of New York
We must have a memorial dedicated to all the victims of terrorism.
There are important reasons: duty...honor...freedom. These things are
at the very core of every American.
As a firefighter, I am bound by my oath of office to do my duty. I
freely accepted that responsibility. I have made a pledge I swore to
uphold. It is a duty I have to my fellowman, even at the risk of
supreme sacrifice. We lost nine men from our firehouse September 11th.
They were among the 343 firefighters who gave their lives as heroes,
putting themselves in harms way to save their fellowman. They were also
victims of terrorism.
Prior to that tragic day the greatest loss of firefighters at any
one time in the entire United States was in 1966...when 12 firemen lost
their lives in the 23rd Street Fire in Manhattan. My father, Lieutenant
John Finley, was one of them. I was 10 years old.
We all have made a pledge to each other as Americans. It is stated
in one sentence. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States
of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. That simple pledge
is why the terrorists attacked us on September 11th. They despise our
republic, they want us to abandon our freedom of religion, give up our
liberty, they want us divided and scattered, they hate our justice and
the inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator, life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. It is our duty to educate the future
generations of American so that they can learn from our mistakes, so
that we never let down our guard down again. We must never forget.
There is no closure; we must not forget our loved ones.
We were attacked by fanatics who want to destroy all Americans. It
doesn't matter what that cult of evil stole from us that terrible day
it's what we do with what is left that counts. They tried to steal our
freedom, the very thing that makes America great. We can not let that
happen. We need to honor our dear ones. It is our sacred duty. They
were murdered simply because they were Americans. They died for our
freedom. Our ideals were attacked on 9/11. This memorial is for us as
well. There, but for the grace of God go I. The victims must be
remembered in a dignified way with a memorial that honors their
sacrifice for our freedom.
People have been asking me, what can we do to help. They want to
feel connected. I witnessed something incredible after 9/11. I was
never prouder to be an American. All the politicians disappeared and in
their place stood statesmen, people proudly and defiantly displayed
their American flags, they were everywhere. Our churches were filled.
People volunteered in any way they could. In New York City and across
the country lines stretched out on to the sidewalks with people waiting
to give blood. Trucks were filled with supplies and driven toward New
York City, without being asked, without a final destination, they
arrived and the volunteers asked where can we give this where it will
do the most good. There are volunteers at the site of the Twin Towers
right now and they have been there 24 hours a day 7 days a week since
the attack. We have been left with a great legacy of courage, faith,
hope, and love.
There is a plaque for my father and each of the men our firehouse
lost in the line of duty since 1865. There are 15 of them; we are going
to have to add 9 more after September 11th. I know how important it is
that we never forget our loved ones, our heroes. We need to keep the
legacy alive. It was left to us by all those who died at the hands of
terrorists. It is our responsibility to foster that legacy, and nurture
it and make sure it is never forgotten.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Next is Lisa Beamer who is the widow of
Todd Beamer, passenger of Flight 93 that crashed in
Pennsylvania, and of course was the passenger last heard saying
``let's roll'' before attacking the hijackers. Lisa, welcome to
the Committee, and I had a chance to meet Lisa's gorgeous
little 10-week-old daughter Morgan, who is just a delight and
we are very happy to be here, and I have had it in the back of
my mind to thank you as representing those on Flight 93 for
possibly saving the lives of some of the people in this room.
Thank you, and thank you for being here and you are very
welcome. And you may begin your testimony.
STATEMENT OF LISA BEAMER, WIDOW OF TODD BEAMER, PASSENGER OF
FLIGHT 93
Ms. Beamer. Thank you. On September 11, 2001, our Nation
suffered a great loss, a loss of life, a loss of property, a
lot of security. My family also suffered a great loss, the loss
of my husband and my children's father, Todd Beamer. He was
traveling to California for an afternoon business meeting and
was scheduled to come home on the red eye flight that very
night. Instead, he became a victim of terrorism as his plane,
United Airlines Flight 93, was hijacked and crashed into a
field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Life for David, Andrew,
Morgan and myself will never be the same.
Every day I experience the pain of realizing my children
will only know their wonderful father through pictures and
stories. I struggle with the responsibility of raising three
small children to adulthood by myself. I cry over the
loneliness I feel of losing the companionship Todd and I shared
over a decade, and I mourn the loss of the hopes and dreams we
had for our family. There are 3,000 stories like mine, families
with a gaping hole left because of the terrorism of September
11. As we see pictures of Ground Zero, we need to remember that
each family is dealing with their own Ground Zero, a vast
emptiness where a strong presence once stood in our lives.
The cleanup and rebuilding of our lives is tremendously
hard work, and even done well will not bring back our loved
one. We resolve to persevere through our grief for the sake of
ourselves, our children and our Nation, but there is not one of
us who wouldn't give anything to return to September 10 and to
change the course of history. Though we can't go back in time,
we can affect the future. It is imperative that our government,
our corporations and citizens do everything possible to ensure
that in a year, or 2, or 10, there aren't another 3,000
families suffering as we are now.
There are many actions our Nation can and must take to
reduce our vulnerability to future acts of terrorism. But all
this is possible only if we learn from the tragedy of September
11. And in order to learn we must remember. We must remember
the horrible events of the day. We must remember what led up to
them. We must remember the names and stories of those we lost.
And we must remember the suffering of those left behind.
But as much as we need to remember September 11 to protect
ourselves from future evil, we also need it to remember to
prepare ourselves for future good. We saw unparalleled good in
the heroes of all races, genders and occupations who went to
work that day but never returned home. They are our new role
models, not because of their athletic ability or their
financial success, but because of their courageous action
motivated only by selfless love for a stranger.
I want my children to grow up in a safer America than we
had on September 10. I also want them to become people who had
made the same selfless choices as so many firefighters,
policemen, rescue workers and ordinary citizens did on
September 11. I want them to know that they too have the
capacity to be people of such strong moral fiber and character
that they would lay down their life for a friend.
It is for these reasons that I strongly support the
building of a national memorial to the victims of terrorism in
Washington, D.C. The presence of such a memorial is crucial to
keeping the events of September 11 in our Nation's
consciousness for years to come. We must do this in order to
prevent another such tragedy and to inspire our citizens to
heroism to whatever events they face in their lives.
As an eighth grade student at Copper Beech Middle School in
Yorktown, New York, I took a trip with my class to Washington,
D.C. as we completed our study of American history for the
year. I remember visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and
the Vietnam Memorial and witnessing at both venues a strange
silence fell over myself and my classmates. We had read about
the wars the United States was engaged in throughout the 20th
century, but it was not until we were face to face with the
reality of the individuals who had fought and made the ultimate
sacrifice in these battles that we appreciated the cost of our
safety and freedom of our Americans and developed any resolve
to maintain it.
It is my hope and expectation that the memorial to victims
of terrorism will motivate current and future generations to
always be vigilant in protecting us from evil and always be
practicing for great acts of heroism. If these lessons of
September 11 are learned and remembered, the death of our loved
ones will not be in vain. Thank you.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much, Mrs. Beamer.
[The prepared statement of Lisa Beamer follows:]
Statement of Lisa Beamer, Cranbury, New Jersey
On September 11, 2001 our nation suffered a great loss--a loss of
life, a loss of property, a loss of security. My family also suffered a
great loss--the loss of my husband and my children's father, Todd
Beamer. He was traveling to California for an afternoon business
meeting and was scheduled to come home on the redeye flight that very
night. Instead, he become a victim of terrorism as his plane, United
Airlines Flight 93, was hijacked and then crashed into a field in
Shanksville, PA.
Life for David, Andrew, Morgan and me will never be the same. Every
day I experience the pain of realizing my children will only know their
wonderful father through pictures and stories. I struggle with the
responsibility of raising three small children to adulthood by myself.
I cry over the loneliness I feel at losing the companionship which Todd
and I shared for a decade. I mourn the loss of the hopes and dreams we
had for our family.
There are 3,000 stories like mine--families with a gaping hole left
because of the terrorism of September 11th. As we see pictures of
Ground Zero we need to remember that each family is dealing with their
own Ground Zero. A vast emptiness where a strong presence once stood in
their lives. The cleanup and rebuilding of our lives is tremendously
hard work and even done well, will never return our loved ones to us.
We resolve to persevere through our grief for the sake of ourselves,
our children and our nation, but there is not one of us who wouldn't
give up anything to return to September 10th and change the course of
history.
While we can't go back in time, we can affect the future. It is
imperative that our government, our corporations and our citizens do
everything possible to ensure that in a year or two or ten there aren't
another 3,000 families suffering as we are. There are many actions our
nation can and must take to reduce our vulnerability to future acts of
terrorism.
All of this is possible only if we learn from the tragedy of
September 11th. But to learn we must remember. We must remember the
horrible events of the day, we must remember what led up to them, we
must remember the names and stories of those we lost, we must remember
the suffering of those left behind.
But as much as we need to remember September 11th to protect
ourselves from future evil, we also need to remember it to prepare
ourselves for future good. We saw unparalleled good in the heroes of
all races, genders and occupations who went to work that day but never
returned home. They are our new role models, not because of their
athletic ability or financial success, but because of their courageous
action motivated only by selfless love for a stranger.
I want my children to grow up in a safer, smarter America than we
had on September 10th. I also want them to become people who would make
the same selfless choices as so many firefighters, policemen, rescue
workers and ordinary citizens did on September 11th. I want them to
know that they too have the capacity to be people of such strong moral
fiber and character that they would lay down their life for a friend.
It is for these reasons that I strongly support the building of a
national Memorial to the Victims of Terrorism in Washington, DC. The
presence of such a memorial is crucial to keeping the events of
September 11th in our nation's consciousness for years to come. We must
do this in order to prevent another such tragedy and to inspire our
citizens to heroism in whatever events they face in life.
As an 8th grade student at Copper Beech Middle School in Yorktown,
NY I took a trip with my class to Washington, DC as we completed our
study of American history for the year. I remember visiting the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier and the Vietnam Memorial and witnessing at both
venues a strange silence come over my classmates and me. We had read
about the wars the United States was engaged in throughout the 20th
century but it was not until we were face to face with the reality of
the individuals who had fought and made the ultimate sacrifice in these
battles that we appreciated the cost of our safety and freedom as
Americans and developed any resolve to maintain it.
It is my hope and expectation that the Memorial to Victims of
Terrorism will motivate current and future generations to always be
vigilant in protecting us from evil and always be practicing for great
acts of heroism. If these lessons of September 11th are learned and
remembered, the deaths of our loved ones will not be in vain.
______
Mr. Radanovich. We are going to go on to the testimony of
every other member and then open the panel up for questions
please. Next up is Mrs. Liz Howell, who is a member of the
Resources family here on the Hill, a receptionist for the
Committee on Resources, and whose husband, Brady, was killed in
the Pentagon attack. Liz, our hearts go out to you and please
begin your testimony.
STATEMENT OF LIZ HOWELL, RECEPTIONIST, COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES,
HUSBAND KILLED IN PENTAGON ATTACK
Ms. Howell. I am honored to have this opportunity to
express my support for the establishment of the national
memorial to the victims of terrorist attacks. My husband and
very best friend, Brady Howell, was killed in the Pentagon on
September 11. His death has changed my life forever. We had
moved to Washington, D.C. a year earlier to fulfill Brady's
childhood dream of working at the Pentagon. He had just
finished graduate school and was thrilled to have won a
prestigious Presidential management internship that allowed him
to work with Naval Intelligence at the Pentagon.
When I met and married Brady 5 years ago, my lifelong
dreams became intertwined with his dreams. Our future seemed
bright and full of promise. On September 10, we stood on edge
of realizing those dreams. On September 11, those dreams were
shattered and my life has never been the same. My life was
changed forever, and so have lives of thousands of other
Americans who lost someone they loved in the four jetliners, in
the World Trade Center or in the Pentagon. I think the American
psyche also underwent a change.
As a Nation, we felt vulnerable in a way that we hadn't
felt since the attack on Pearl Harbor more than 60 years ago,
but we also felt united, determined and proud to be Americans
with a passion we hadn't felt in a very long time. Words that
had almost disappeared from our collective vocabulary emerged.
``Heroes'' is my favorite.
Before September 11, I rarely heard the word ``heroes'' in
a casual conversation. After September 11, talk of heroes was
everywhere. Thousands of heroes died that day. Many died trying
to save the lives of others. Thousands of other heroes risked
their lives or gave unstintingly of themselves to ease the
suffering of others. Todd Beamer was a hero. Brady Howell was a
hero. Joe Finley and Ted Anderson are heroes. Patriotic songs
were playing on the radio again. People wanted to join the
military. We talked of finding the lessons in our grief and a
renewed meaning in our lives.
Suddenly we wanted something deeper and something more
substantial in our role models. And this spring we have
celebrated life with a fresh intensity. The babies born to the
9/11 widows are a source of national delight and pride. I don't
believe these changes are temporary. I think September 11
changed a generation of Americans. Our national generosity and
compassion continues. As we fight this new war against
terrorism, the suffering continues. I believe all that America
lost that day, all that we gain and all of the ways we have
changed as a country should be commemorated in a national
memorial to the victims of terrorism.
Of course, this isn't just about September 11. Since 1979,
more than 500 Americans have died in acts of terrorism
including 168 people that were killed in the bombing of the
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and 259
killed in the 1988 mid air bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. This
memorial would be for them, too, just as it would be for
Americans we may lose in future terrorist attacks as horrible
as that possibility may be. One of the things I love about
Washington, D.C. are the memorials. My favorite is the Vietnam
Memorial.
I was born after the Vietnam War ended. I heard about and I
have read about the war, of course, but that war didn't touch
me emotionally until the first time I saw that long wall. All
of those names, one after another, for the length of the dark
wall drove home to me the cost of that war. For the first time,
I sensed the breadth of our Nation's lost. I sensed the
unrealized dreams, talent and untapped potential that died with
those thousands of young men and women. I could imagine the
tragic heartbreak of the peoples whose lives would never be the
same, just as my life and Lisa Beamer's life will never be the
same. I cried the first time I saw that wall and I cry every
time I see it. I believe a national monument to terrorism would
become a hallowed place where the people of this generation to
remember and grieve. Perhaps even more importantly, it would
teach future generations about the heroism, sacrifice and
patriotism that surrounded the deaths of people who died for
simply being Americans.
I want future generations to understand what America lost
on September 11. I want them to understand how we rallied
together and went forward and a more compassionate and united
Nation. I want them to feel a little grief and a little pride
over a tragedy that happened before they were born. This
national memorial can do that, just like other memorials
throughout this city--bring all of America's history alive for
us. Thank you.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Liz Howell follows:]
Statement of Liz Howell, Receptionist, Committee on Resources
I am honored to have this opportunity to express my support for the
establishment of a national memorial to the victims of terrorists'
attacks.
My husband and best friend, Brady Howell, was killed in the
Pentagon on September 11th. His death changed my life forever.
We had moved to Washington, D.C. a year earlier to fulfill Brady's
childhood dream of working at the Pentagon. He had just finished
graduate school and was thrilled to have won a prestigious Presidential
Management Internship that allowed him to work with Naval Intelligence
at the Pentagon.
On September 10th, we stood on edge of realizing so many dreams we
had woven together during our five years of marriage. On September
11th, my life changed forever. So did the lives of thousands of
Americans who lost someone they loved in those four jetliners, in the
World Trade Center or in the Pentagon.
I think the American psyche also underwent a sea change. As a
nation, we felt vulnerable in a way we hadn't felt since the attack on
Pearl Harbor more than 50 years ago. But we also felt united,
determined and proud to be Americans with a passion we hadn't felt in a
very long time.
Words that had almost disappeared from our collective vocabulary
emerged again. ``Heroes'' is my favorite. Before September 11th, I
rarely heard the word ``hero'' in casual conversation.
After September 11th, talk of heroes was everywhere. Thousands of
heroes died that day. Many died trying to save the lives of others.
Thousands of other heroes risked their lives or gave unstintingly of
themselves to ease the suffering of others. Todd Beamer was a hero.
Brady Howell was a hero. Joe Finley and Ted Anderson are heroes.
Patriotic songs were playing on the radio again. People wanted to
join the military. We talked of finding the lessons in our grief and a
renewed meaning in our lives. Suddenly, we wanted something deeper and
more substantial in our role models.
And this spring, we have celebrated life with a fresh intensity.
The babies born to widows of 9-11 are a source of national delight and
pride.
I don't believe these changes are temporary. I think Sept. 11th
changed a generation of Americans. Our national generosity and
compassion continues. As we fight this new war against terrorism, the
suffering continues.
I believe all that America lost that day, all that we gain and the
ways we have changed as a country should be commemorated in a national
memorial to the victims of terrorism.
Of course, this isn't just about Sept. 11. Since 1979, more than
500 Americans have died in acts of terrorism, including the 168 people
killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in
Oklahoma City and the 259 killed in the 1988 mid-air bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103.
This memorial would be for them, too. Just as it would be for the
Americans we may lose in future acts of terrorism--as terrible as that
possibility is.
One of the things I love most about Washington, D.C. are the
memorials. My favorite is the Vietnam Memorial.
I was born after the Vietnam War ended. I've heard about and read
about the war, of course. But that war didn't touch me emotionally
until the first time I saw that long wall. All those names, one after
another, for the length of that dark wall drove home to me the cost of
that war. For the first time, I sensed the breadth of our nation's
loss. I sensed the unrealized dreams, talent and potential that died
with those thousands of young men and women. I could imagine the tragic
heartbreak of the people whose lives would never be the same, just as
my life and Lisa Beamer's life will never be the same.
I cried the first time I saw that wall. I cry every time I see it.
I believe a national monument to terrorism would become a hallowed
place for the people of this generation to remember and grieve. Perhaps
even more importantly, it will teach future generations about the
heroism, sacrifice and patriotism that surrounded the deaths of people
who died simply for being Americans.
I want future generations to understand what America lost on
September 11. I want them to understand how we rallied and went
forward, a more compassionate and united nation. I want them to feel a
little grief and a little pride over a tragedy that happened before
they were born. This national memorial can do that just like memorials
throughout this city bring all of America's history alive for us.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Our next witness is Lieutenant Colonel Ted
Anderson who is with the U.S. Army, liaison office and who was
present at the Pentagon at the time of the attacks and who
pulled many survivors from the burning rubble there at the
Pentagon. Lieutenant Colonel, welcome, and you are very welcome
at this time to give your testimony.
STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL TED ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY LIAISON
OFFICE
Colonel Anderson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am honored to
appear before the Committee today and testify with these
distinguished Americans, three among many so closely tied to
the events of 11 September. I am here today in uniform in my
personal capacity. My views are my own and I do not represent
the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense or the
views of either agency. On 9/11, I was a soldier, very simply,
was in a particular place at a particular time and given the
privilege to do my duty along with many others. And what I
contributed on the 11th of September is quite small compared to
what our soldiers do every day around the world, are doing
right now in Afghanistan, are doing now in guarding our
Nation's airports, government buildings and civil facilities.
Let me begin by saying that I am a very fortunate man. I
have spent over 19 years in the United States Army assigned
primarily to paratroop units around the world. In those nearly
20 years of service, I have seen many things that have
structured my world view and my personal view. But the events
of 11 September here in Washington and in New York City and in
Pennsylvania were for me, and I know for many others, life-
changing events. And I know that it is an immeasurable
understatement. Since the 11th of September, I have again and
again reviewed my life, my time in the Army and I consider the
things that I have done and those things that I have left
undone.
So my testimony here today in favor of a monument to
victims of terrorist attacks wherever and however it is built
is something small that I can do to offer my support of what I
believe is both right and necessary. In a very broad sense and
unique way, our country and the world will remember 9/11 for a
very, very long time. The obvious comparisons have been made to
Pearl Harbor. It will be remembered for the thousands who were
lost, for the multitudes more who have been directly touched by
the horror of it all, their husbands, wives, mothers, fathers,
sons, daughters, friends and colleagues. It will be remembered
as well for the new bonds that have forged among the American
people.
Our public servants, government officials, firefighters,
police officers, fire responders in every category, our
citizens, those from every walk of life and undoubtedly
representing every cultural heritage that composes the very
fabric of our Nation and the members of our military. Because
of that day, we are bound in a very intimate way that I do not
think we have experienced before at any time. On 11 September
represents, in several regards, a moment of awakening across
this great land, even before that fateful day, our Nation has
lost Americans to terrorist acts that have been precursors to
the monument.
The USS Cole comes to mind as well as the bombings of our
embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and the first attempt to
destroy the World Trade Center only 9 years before. But on
September 11, our Nation was awakened to the stark reality of
the subtle threat we have almost unwittingly faced and still
face today. It has changed the way that we define our notions
of defense of freedom. And as well, I know from my own
experiences and from talking to many others close to me that
once the smoke cleared and the fires were finally put out, when
the weight of the day descended upon us and many of us realized
the incredible nature of what had occurred very literally
before our eyes, I know that many commitments were made that
day. These were commitments of individuals to stop taking for
granted this magnificent thing we call life and even this more
magnificent thing we call liberty.
There were commitments to start living differently, to make
more concerted efforts, each to do what we can do to help one
another or to simply be better people. And we cannot chance to
lose this sense of national awakening, which is a note of
celebration in the long song of sorrow. This war is different,
I believe than any other questions of which this Nation has
ever embarked.
Fighting against an elusive enemy and a dedicated effort to
overcome the terrorism that threatens every one of us wherever
it hides around the globe. And this war demands that every
citizen, whether here at home or abroad make a long-term
commitment to victory. Now our Nation and its allies are
engaged on the global war on terrorism, what we imagine will be
a protracted effort to make our Nation, our allies and our
interests safe from those who attempt to dissuade us from our
noble purpose, and that is peace and liberty.
And so our purpose here today is different than any other
effort in my recollection to memorialize those who have been
lost in defense of our Nation or in acts of war, because even
while we are engaged in the conflict, we can choose now to
memorialize those who have fallen as an example to the living
who are committed to this war here and abroad. We can thereby
acknowledge the sober reality of what we have undertaken that
others may very well give their lives on behalf of this
profound effort.
So this is about a memorial to those who have fallen
already, and it is about a physical symbol of our unified
commitment to persevere, to prevail and to preserve the
sanctity of our endeavor and freedom and peace for our own
people and for those who will choose to join us.
Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the construction of a
national memorial to the victims of terrorism. How it is
conceived and where it might be and when it takes form is less
important than undertaking a firm commitment to keep the events
of 11 September in the forefront of our Nation's consciousness
to memorialize those who lost their lives on that day and to
mark that day of turning of our national consciousness. Thank
you, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Colonel Anderson follows:]
Statement of Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson, United States Army
I am Lieutenant Colonel Ted Anderson. I am honored to appear before
the Committee today, and testify with these other distinguished
Americans, three among many, so closely tied to the events of 11
September. I am here as a soldier in my personal capacity. My views are
my own and I do not represent the Department of the Army or the
Department of Defense or the views of either agency. On 11 September, I
was a soldier who very simply was in a particular place at a particular
time and given the privilege to do my duty, along with many others. And
what I contributed on 11 September is quite small compared to what our
soldiers do every day around the world--are doing now in Afghanistan,
are doing now in guarding our nation's airports, government buildings,
and civil facilities.
Let me begin by saying that I am a very fortunate man. I have spent
over nineteen years in the United States Army, assigned primarily to
paratroop units around the world. In those nearly twenty years of
service, I have seen many things that have structured my world view and
my personal view. But the events of 11 September--here in Washington,
in New York City, and in Pennsylvania ``- were for me, and I know for
many others, life changing events. And I know that is an immeasurable
understatement. Since 11 September, I have again and again reviewed my
life, my time in the Army--I consider the things that I have done and
those things that I have left undone. So, my testimony here today in
favor of a monument to victims of terrorist attacks, wherever and
however it is built, is something small that I can do to offer my
support of what I believe is both right and necessary.
In a very broad sense and unique way, our country and the world
will remember 11 September for a very, very long time. The obvious
comparisons have been made to Pearl Harbor. It will be remembered for
the thousands who were lost, or those multitudes more who have been
directly touched by the horror of it all--their husbands and wives,
mothers and father, sons and daughter, and their friends and
colleagues. But it will be remembered, as well, for the new bonds that
have been forged among the American people: our public servants--
government officials, firefighters, policemen, first responders in
every category; our citizens--those from every walk of life and
undoubtedly representing every cultural heritage that composes the very
fabric of our nation; and the members of our military. Because of that
day, we are bound in a very intimate way that I do not think we have
experienced before.
And 11 September represents in several regards a moment of
awakening across this great land. Even before 11 September, our nation
lost Americans to terrorist acts that now seem precursors to the
monumental tragedy of that day--the USS Cole comes to mind, as well as
the bombings of our embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and the first
attempt to destroy the world trade center only nine years before. But
on 11 September, our nation was awakened to the stark reality of the
subtle threat we had almost unwittingly faced and still face today. It
has changed the way that we define our notions of defense of freedom.
And as well I know from my own experiences and from talking to many
others close to me, that once the smoke cleared and the fires were
finally put out, when the weight of that day descended upon us, and
many of us realized the incredible nature of what had occurred very
literally before our eyes, I know that many commitments were made that
day. These were commitments of individuals to stop taking for granted
this magnificent thing we call life, and this even more magnificent
thing called liberty; they were commitments to start living
differently, to make more concerted efforts each to do what we can to
help one another, to simply to be better people. And we cannot chance
to lose this sense of national awakening--which is a note of
celebration in a long song of sorrow.
This war is different, I believe, than any other quest on which our
nation has ever embarked--fighting against an elusive enemy in a
dedicated effort to overcome the terrorism that threatens us, wherever
it hides, around the globe. And this war demands that every citizen--
whether here at home or abroad--make a long-term commitment to victory.
Now, our nation and its allies are engaged in the global war on
terrorism, what we imagine will be a protracted effort to make our
nation, our allies, and our interests safe from those who would attempt
to dissuade us from our noble purpose--peace and liberty.
And so our purpose here today is different than any other effort in
my recollection to memorialize those who have been lost in defense of
our nation or in acts of war--different because even while we are
engaged in the conflict, we can choose now to memorialize those who
have fallen as an example to the living who are committed to this war
here and abroad. We can thereby acknowledge the sober reality of what
we have undertaken--that others may very well give their lives on the
behalf of this profound effort.
So, this is about a memorial to those who have fallen already, and
it is about a physical symbol of our unified commitment to persevere,
to prevail, and to preserve the sanctity of our endeavor in freedom and
peace for our own people, and for those who would choose to join us.
Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the construction of a national
memorial to the victims of terrorism. How it is conceived, where it
might be, and when it takes physical form is less important than
undertaking a firm commitment to keep the events of 11 September in the
forefront of our nation's consciousness, to memorialize those who lost
their lives on that day, and to mark that day as turning of our
national consciousness.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much. Our next one to
testify is P. Daniel, or Dan Smith, who is the Special
Assistant to the Director of the National Park Service, and
also former staffer of this Subcommittee. Mr. Smith, welcome
and please begin your testimony.
STATEMENT OF DANIEL SMITH, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR,
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Mr. Smith. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to
present the views of the Department of the Interior on H.R.
2982, which would authorize the establishment of a memorial in
the District of Columbia within the areas referred to in the
Commemorative Works Act as area I or area II to the victims of
the terrorist attacks on the United States, and to provide for
the design and construction of such a memorial. The Department
is deeply saddened by the tragedy our Nation experienced on
September 11. Our country was attacked with deliberate and
massive cruelty, and since that fateful day, our lives have
been changed forever.
Among the men and women we lost that day are those who
began their day at a desk or an airport, who wore the uniform
of the United States and died at their post, who defied their
murderers and prevented the murder of others on the ground and
who, as rescuers, ran to the sites to assist others. Like so
many other families in America, we continue to mourn the loss
of a member of our Interior family who was a victim of United
Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania,
Richard Guadagno, a 17-year employee of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and manager of the Humboldt Bay National
Wildlife Refuge in California was among the heroes, the
passengers of Flight 93, who we now believed sacrificed their
lives to save others.
The Department offers our deepest sympathy to all those who
lost a friend or family member because of the attacks of
September 11. We understand that the road to healing will be
long, but we believe that through the strength and unity of
this country, the American spirit lives on. Terrorism
unfortunately is not new to this country. Anyone who was in
Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 when the Alfred P. Murrah was
ruthlessly bombed, has felt terrorism hit too close to home. We
lost 168 of our fellow Americans in that attack. As a personal
note, Mr. Chairman, I traveled with the commissioner of the
Public Buildings Service that day to Oklahoma City and
experienced that day. For Americans abroad, the fear of
becoming a victim of terrorism has been and continues to be a
very real threat. It continues today as I appear before you.
The Department understands the desire and motivation to pay
tribute to these victims of the terrorist attacks through the
establishment of a highly visible, accessible and appropriate
memorial.
We share the feeling that is present throughout our country
that we need to find ways to provide permanent reminders of the
immense suffering and the sorrow caused by these tragic events.
H.R. 2982 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
establish a memorial to victims of terrorism on land
administered by the National Park Service in the District of
Columbia. It would establish a seven-member commission to raise
funds determine a location and select the design for the
memorial to be completed within 1 year of enactment of this
legislation. The bill also provides for the Secretary of the
Interior and the National Capitol Memorial Commission to assist
the Commission in its work.
The Department has learned a great deal from its role as
the Nation's keeper of our natural and historic treasures. We
have the great privilege of preserving important patriotic
symbols such as Independence Hall and the Statue of Liberty. We
also have the responsibility of preserving battlefields and
memorials places where visitors often come to mourn and reflect
on the more difficult times in American history.
Our experience working with these sites has taught us a few
things that we would like to share with the Committee today.
One of the precepts of the L'Enfant plan of the Nation's
capital was the creation of public spaces for the commemoration
of significant events and figures of the American experience.
But in the case of enormous national tragedies, we have found
that commemoration seems most appropriate at the site of the
tragedy itself. No memorial designed for placement in
Washington, D.C. could capture the emotion and awe of visitors
to the USS Arizona Memorial lying where it sank in Pearl
Harbor. The Oklahoma City National Memorial would not have
nearly the power it has if it had been constructed anywhere
else, but at the site of the Murrah Building.
The memorial landscapes of Gettysburg or Antietam National
battlefields still haunt visitors who contemplate what occurred
there nearly 150 years ago today. Indeed, people from all over
the world continue to be drawn to these hallowed grounds to
reflect on the historical events that took place, or perhaps to
pay their respects to those who lost their lives there. Last
year approximately 1.5 million people traveled to the USS
Arizona Memorial, and approximately half a million people
visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
The way people traditionally mourn victims of catastrophic
events by visiting the site of the occurrence reflects an
instinctive public choice of the appropriate location for a
memorial. We have certainly seen that instinct in the way
people continue to make pilgrimages to the World Trade Center
in New York City. We believe that the most powerful and
meaningful way to honor the victims of September 11 in the form
of a permanent structure would be by constructing a memorial at
the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania.
And Mr. Chairman, those efforts are underway. Legislation
authorizing a memorial at the Pentagon, which of course is on
military property has already been signed into law by President
Bush. In New York City, the Sphere, a sculpture that survived
the collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and a
temporary memorial, the Tribute in Light, were unveiled last
week to commemorate the 6-month anniversary of the September 11
tragedy.
We understand that the redevelopment authority and the
State of New York are discussing plans to rebuild the Office
Space and establish a permanent memorial at the site. And there
is at least one proposal that has been introduced in Congress
for a national memorial to be at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to
honor the heroic Americans of United Airlines Flight 93. The
Department stands ready to assist in these efforts in any way
it can. The establishment of memorials in our Nation's capital
is governed by the Commemorative Works Act of 1986, which was
passed by Congress to address the lack of guidelines for the
subject matter, siting and design of the memorials and the lack
of a public process. Congress and the Department of Interior
worked together to study the process, delineate
responsibilities and define procedures.
The process established by that Act ensures memorials in
the Capitol are erected on the most appropriate sites in the
Federal city and are of the caliber and design that is worthy
of their historically significant subjects. Although this bill
before the Committee today seems to be a work in progress where
we are trying to really define what elements to address, one
concern that the Interior Department has about H.R. 2982 is
that it exempts this memorial from section 3(c) of the
Commemorative Works Act, which prohibits the authorization of a
memorial in the District of Columbia on land administered by
the Department of Interior or the General Services
Administration to an event, individual or group before the 25th
anniversary of the event or the death of the individual or the
death of the last surviving member of the group.
This is a key provision based on the premise that
succeeding generations provide a more objective viewpoint when
evaluating the most appropriate way to honor historical events
or individuals of historical significance. If the proposed
memorial is intended to be focused on September 11, and I have
heard comments here today that it seems to go way beyond that,
the 25-year stipulation may be particularly relevant because
the events of September 11 have led directly to the current
military engagement in Afghanistan and other places in the
world.
As in the case of Pearl Harbor where our involvement in
World War II ensued the complete story of September 11 and the
events that precipitated, has yet to unfold. Therefore a
national memorial to September 11 authorized 25 years from now
might have a much different but no less poignant design and
message from a memorial designed today.
Mr. Chairman, we are also concerned that H.R. 2982 contains
conflicting provisions that would need to be remedied before
the legislation proceeds. On one hand the bill requires
compliance with the Commemorative Works act except for section
3(c) as noted above, and thus requires approvals of location
and design of the memorial by the National Capital Planning
Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.
This process also ensures opportunities for public
participation. At the same time, H.R. 2982 gives the Victims of
Terrorism Memorial Commission the authority to determine the
location and design of the memorial. We would urge the
Committee to make the legislation conform to the process
established by the Commemorative Works Act, and some of the
comments I heard today, Mr. Chairman, it seems that is the
direction the bill is going in.
H.R. 2982 also does not provide a reasonable timetable for
action on the proposed memorial. Within 1 year of enactment of
the legislation, the Victims of the Terrorism Memorial
Commission would need to determine a location and final design
for the memorial as well as raise funds. The average amount of
time for site selection and design process for a major
memorial, and especially for what this dynamic memorial would
become in the capital is 4 to 6 years after authorizing
legislation is enacted.
And finally, Mr. Chairman, under this bill, the Secretary
of Interior is responsible for establishing the memorial and
thus must complete all tasks not specifically designated to the
Commission, including the construction of the memorial. The
Department is very concerned with this provision as it departs
from the current practice in which Congress authorizes a
specific commission or private organization to establish a
memorial rather than the Secretary.
Mr. Smith. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, we urge the
Committee to give serious thought to the issues we have
outlined above. The families of victims of the September 11
tragedy and all terrorist attacks deserve nothing less than our
most thoughtful, careful and thorough deliberation of where and
how to memorialize their loved ones.
As you consider how you may want to proceed, I assure you
the Department of the Interior will work with you, Members of
the Committee, the Congress, to find a way to work on this
legislation to successful conclusion.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I am accompanied
today by John Parsons of the National Park Service, if you have
detailed questions about the Commemorative Works Act. And we
stand ready to answer any questions that you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Smith follows:]
Statement of P. Daniel Smith, Special Assistant to the Director,
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, on H.R. 2982
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the views of
the Department of the Interior on H.R. 2982, which would authorize the
establishment of a memorial in the District of Columbia within the
areas referred to in the Commemorative Works Act as ``Area I'' or
``Area II'' to the victims of the terrorist attacks on the United
States and to provide for the design and construction of such a
memorial.
The Department is deeply saddened by the tragedy our nation
experienced on September 11. Our country was attacked with deliberate
and massive cruelty and since that fateful day, our lives have been
changed forever. Among the men and women we lost that day are those who
began their day at a desk or an airport, who wore the uniform of the
United States and died at their post, who defied their murderers and
prevented the murder of others on the ground, and who, as rescuers, ran
to the sites to assist others.
Like so many families in America, we continue to mourn the loss of
a member of our Interior family who was a victim of United Airlines
Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Richard
Guadagno, a 17-year employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
manager of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in California, was
among the heroic passengers of Flight 93 who we now believe sacrificed
their lives to save others. The Department offers our deepest sympathy
to all those who lost a friend or family member because of the attacks
on September 11. We understand that the road to healing will be long,
but we believe that through the strength and unity of this country, the
American spirit lives on.
Terrorism, unfortunately, is not new to this country. Anyone who
was in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, when the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building was ruthlessly bombed, has felt terrorism hit too
close to home. We lost 168 of our fellow Americans in that attack. For
Americans abroad, the fear of becoming a victim of terrorism has been
and continues to be a very real threat. On August 7, 1998, U.S.
Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were brutally attacked, killing a total
of 368 people. On October 23, 1983, suicide truck-bombs attacked Marine
barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 242 Americans. And these have not
been the only terrorist attacks that have been perpetrated against the
United States and its citizens.
The Department understands the desire and motivation to pay tribute
to these victims of the terrorist attacks through the establishment of
a highly visible, accessible, and appropriate memorial. We share the
feeling that is present throughout our country that we need to find
ways to provide permanent reminders of the immense suffering and the
sorrow caused by these tragic events.
H.R. 2982 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
establish a memorial to victims of terrorism on land administered by
the National Park Service in the District of Columbia. It would
establish a seven-member commission to raise funds, determine a
location, and select a design for the memorial, to be completed within
one year of enactment of this legislation. The bill also provides for
the Secretary of the Interior and the National Capital Memorial
Commission to assist the commission in its work.
The Department has learned a great deal from its role as the
Nation's keeper of our natural and historic treasures. We have the
great privilege of preserving important patriotic symbols, such as
Independence Hall and the Statue of Liberty. We also have the
responsibility of preserving battlefields and memorials, places where
visitors often come to mourn and reflect on the more difficult times in
American history. Our experience working with these sites has taught us
a few things that we would like to share with the Committee today.
One of the precepts of the L'Enfant Plan for the Nation's Capital
was the creation of public spaces for the commemoration of significant
events and figures of the American experience. But, in the case of
enormous national tragedies, we have found that commemoration seems
most appropriate at the site of the tragedy itself. No memorial
designed for placement in Washington, D.C. could capture the emotion
and awe of visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial, lying where it was
sunk in Pearl Harbor. The Oklahoma City National Memorial would not
have nearly the power it has if it had been constructed anywhere else
but at the site of the Murrah Building. The memorial landscapes of
Gettysburg or Antietam National Battlefields still haunt visitors who
contemplate what occurred there nearly 150 years ago. Indeed, people
from all over the world continue to be drawn to these hallowed grounds
to reflect on the historical events that took place at the sites or,
perhaps, to pay their respects to those who lost their lives there.
Last year, approximately 1.5 million people traveled to the USS Arizona
Memorial and approximately half a million people visited the Oklahoma
City National Memorial.
The way people traditionally mourn victims of catastrophic events
by visiting the site of the occurrence reflects an instinctive public
choice of the appropriate location for a memorial. We have certainly
seen that instinct in the way people continue to make pilgrimages to
the World Trade Center in New York City. We believe that the most
powerful and meaningful way to honor the victims of September 11 in the
form of a permanent structure would be by constructing a memorial at
the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania. And, efforts to do just that are under way. Legislation
authorizing a memorial at the Pentagon which, of course, is on military
property has already been signed into law by President Bush. In New
York City, ``the sphere,'' a sculpture that survived the collapse of
the World Trade Center's twin towers, and a temporary memorial, the
Tribute in Light, were unveiled last week to commemorate the six-month
anniversary of the September 11th tragedy. We understand that the
Redevelopment Authority and the State of New York are discussing plans
to rebuild the office space and establish a permanent memorial at the
site. At least one proposal to establish a memorial at Shanksville,
Pennsylvania to honor the heroic Americans of United Airlines Flight 93
is being developed. The Department stands ready to assist in these
efforts in any way it can.
We also have learned that a more meaningful memorial can be
designed when the subject of a memorial is focused and defined, as is
the subject of virtually every memorial located in the Nation's
Capital. Although H.R. 2982 was introduced in the wake of the September
11 attacks, the only indication of the subject of the memorial is in
the title, where it refers to ``victims of terrorist attacks on the
United States,'' and in the name of the panel, the ``Victims of
Terrorism Memorial Commission.'' The subject matter of this memorial
could potentially include victims of every terrorist act throughout our
nation's history, which would be a very difficult memorial to design.
The establishment of memorials in our Nation's Capital is governed
by the Commemorative Works Act of 1986, which was passed by Congress to
address the lack of guidelines for the subject matter, siting, and
design of memorials, and the lack of a public process. Congress and the
Department worked together to study the process, delineate
responsibilities and define procedures. The process established by the
Act ensures memorials in the Capital are erected on the most
appropriate sites in the Federal City and are of a caliber in design
that is worthy of their historically significant subjects.
One concern we have about H.R. 2982 is that it exempts this
memorial from Section 3(c) of the Commemorative Works Act, which
prohibits the authorization of a memorial in the District of Columbia
on land administered by the Department of the Interior or the General
Services Administration to an event, individual, or group before the
25th anniversary of the event or the death of the individual or the
death of the last surviving member of the group. This is a key
provision based on the premise that succeeding generations provide a
more objective viewpoint when evaluating the most appropriate way to
honor historical events or individuals of historical significance.
There have been several bills introduced in Congress for memorials
in the Nation's Capital on land administered by the Department of the
Interior or the General Services Administration that would have set
aside this time period requirement. Notable among them were proposals
for memorials to the victims of the Tianannmen Square massacre, the
Gulf War, the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the Pan Am Flight 103
terrorist attack (the Lockerbie Memorial). Congress chose not to pass
any of these proposals. Only the Lockerbie Memorial was authorized, and
it was authorized to be located on military property so as to avoid
violating this provision of the Commemorative Works Act. The Space
Shuttle Challenger Memorial and Gulf War Memorial were constructed on
military property without a specific authorization from Congress.
If the proposed memorial is intended to be focused on the September
11 attacks, the 25-year stipulation may be particularly relevant
because the events of September 11 have led directly to the current
military engagement in Afghanistan. As in the case of Pearl Harbor,
where our involvement in World War II ensued, the complete story of
September 11 and the events it precipitated has yet to unfold.
Therefore, a national memorial to September 11, authorized 25 years
from now, might have a much different but no less poignant design and
message from a memorial designed today.
We are concerned that H.R. 2982 contains conflicting provisions
that would need to be remedied before this legislation proceeds. On one
hand, the bill requires compliance with the Commemorative Works Act,
except for Section 3(c) as noted above, and thus, requires approvals of
location and design of the memorial by the National Capital Planning
Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. This process also ensures
opportunities for public participation. At the same time, H.R. 2982
gives the Victims of Terrorism Memorial Commission the authority to
determine the location and design of the memorial. We would urge the
Committee to make the legislation conform to the process established by
the Commemorative Works Act.
H.R. 2982 also does not provide a reasonable timetable for action
on the proposed memorial. Within one year of enactment of the
legislation, the Victims of Terrorism Memorial Commission would need to
determine a location and final design for the memorial as well as raise
funds for these activities. The average amount of time for site
selection and design process for a major memorial in the Capital is 4-6
years after authorizing legislation is enacted.
In addition, under this bill, the Secretary of the Interior is
responsible for establishing the memorial and thus, must complete all
tasks not specifically designated to the Commission, including the
construction of the memorial. The Department is very concerned with
this provision as it departs from the current practice in which
Congress authorizes a specific commission or private organization to
establish a memorial rather than the Secretary.
In conclusion, we urge the committee to give serious thought to the
issues we have outlined above. The families of victims of the September
11 tragedy and all terrorist attacks deserve nothing less than our most
thoughtful, careful, and thorough deliberation of where and how to
memorialize their loved ones' horrific fate. As you consider how you
may want to proceed, we will be ready to assist you in any way we can.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I would be pleased to
answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.
______
Mr. Radonovich. Thank you, Mr. Smith. It seems to me that
as the testimony unfolds, I am quite sure that there will be
memorials in Shanksville, at the Pentagon, and at the World
Trade Center depicting the attacks or memorializing, I should
say, the attacks of September 11th.
But as I understand this legislation, this is a memorial to
not just the terrorist attacks of September 11th but also those
terrorist attacks that occurred over the history of the United
States on Americans, and those that were victimized by
terrorism.
So, you know, that information becomes evident as we are
working through this thing. And I know, Mrs. Howell, you had
alluded to the need for it here in D.C. But, Mrs. Beamer, if I
could hear from you regarding your opinion of that. Of course,
your husband died in Shanksville. And, again, I can foresee
some memorialization of that area, you know. It will have to
occur, I am sure.
What is the significance, if I may ask you and also the
Lieutenant Colonel, of a memorial here in Washington?
Mrs. Beamer. Well, I think I pointed it to a little bit in
my comments, that this is where people come from all over the
world and all over our country to find out who we are, and how
we got to be who we are, and where we plan to go from here.
I have been to Shanksville a few times. It is not an area
where many people will be able to go simply because of its
locality. It is important, obviously, that there is something
there for the future, especially for the families. But for the
majority of our citizens and for the citizens of the world, the
fact is they come to Washington D.C. to memorialize the events
that have been an integral part of our history.
And the other thing is that it is important to memorialize
people at the site of this event, but many of the acts of
terrorism, it is not a possible thing. Pan Am 103, places where
we have lost Americans on foreign soil due to terrorism, we
can't erect a memorial to them there. This is an important way
to pull all of those events together and really make it be a
wake-up call to people to say, we had a whole crescendo of
events that was leading to September 11th and we are going to
memorialize them all in one place and really feel the full
impact of what the terrorism does and what we need to prevent
for the future. And I think that one central location in
Washington, D.C. will do that better than any place else.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much. Lieutenant Colonel,
same idea. If there is one in Washington, being near to the
Pentagon, what are your thoughts on that?
Lieutenant Colonel Anderson. Sir, as I testified a moment
ago, where it might be or how it is conceived is actually less
important to me than in making sure that our commitment to a
memorial stands in the forefront. I really don't have one
opinion or another exactly where it should be, just that we
stick to it and that we ensure that a monument of some sort is
constructed for the national effort against the war on
terrorism.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much. Mrs. Christensen.
Mrs. Christensen. Well, I guess I would really just--I
would associate myself with your answer to that question,
Lieutenant Colonel Anderson. I think it is really critical that
we have a memorial, and although there are several very valid
questions that have been raised that we are going to have to
grapple with as we move toward establishing a memorial.
I understand what I have heard what the position is of the
Department of Interior and we will work to see how we can get
it done. But, in general, I do not like to--I don't want us to
circumvent law to get it done. I think we all agree that a
memorial, a fitting memorial, is needed. I agree with you.
There ought to be one in Washington, D.C., because everyone
won't be going to the other location. But it is just something
that we have to grapple with.
And I wanted to also just echo what our Chairman said
earlier, that Todd and others, including co-pilot Leroy Homer,
we really owe them a debt of gratitude, because that plane may
have been headed here. And so the establishing of the memorial
is also important to us and to all who are going to serve in
Congress for years to come to remember the debt that we owe,
not only to the people on that flight, but to all, you know,
all of those who have died from terrorist acts.
And I wanted for the record to also thank all of you on
behalf of some families in my district. The family of Master
Sergeant Maudeline White who died at the Pentagon. Firefighter
William L. Henry, a New York firefighter, and Lawrence Able,
who worked on the 101st floor of one of the towers who died on
September 11th.
The work that you are doing, your efforts will ensure that
they--as well as all of the other people who died will not be
forgotten. We are committed to making--to having a memorial
here in Washington. I just want to do it the right way.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you very much, Mrs. Christensen. Mr.
Tancredo, any questions?
Mr. Tancredo. Just an observation, Mr. Chairman, especially
for Mrs. Beamer and Mrs. Howell. I, on September 11th, I had a
recollection of something else, another event that had happened
that elicited almost the same reactions in me that I was
feeling at that time. And I remembered April 20th, 1999, when a
school in my direct was attacked essentially by two terrorists,
two young men, Columbine High School. And I remember observing,
looking at the television and having the same sort of
incomprehensible feeling about it, and this could not be
happening. And then things played out in a way that I just
wanted to tell you about here.
That is that as we worked through, as the community worked
through the horrible nature of that event, of course, the
question arose as to whether and what kind of a memorial would
be placed at the school, and there was the same sort of
decisions and little bit of not controversy but disagreement
about the nature of it and where it would be and that sort of
thing.
But I just want you to know this, that regardless of--I
mean, regardless of how this turns out, this particular piece
of legislation, where the memorial is placed and when, that the
reality is that out of every horrendous event, even as horrible
as April 20th and September 11th, events of those 2 days, some
equally magnificent things happen.
And in my district, and with regard to that event, several
incredible things occurred, not the least of which is that
thousands, we are not sure, maybe hundreds of thousands of
children have actually come to the Lord as a result of stories
of people who had, like Cassie Brenaeu, one of the students
there. I happen to think that that is a wonderful outcome.
Likewise, millions of people around the world, not just in
the United States, but certainly millions of people have been
equally as inspired by the actions and the events of that day,
the actions of your spouses and of the--like the gentleman at
the table earlier, the fireman and so many others. And lives
have inevitably changed in positive ways as a result of the
horror of that day.
So regardless of what happens here, all I want to tell you
is that there is a memorial. It is in the hearts of perhaps
hundreds of millions of people who look at you and look at the
people who died that day and are inspired to become better
people themselves. So that is the memorial that will last and
the legacy of which will be far beyond what we can build here.
But I just wanted you to know that this kind of argument
that goes on, it is not the important part.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Tancredo. Mr. Holt, did you
have any comments or questions?
Mr. Holt. No questions, because the witnesses have
addressed the points so eloquently. But I just wanted to make a
comment. Mrs. Howell spoke about heroes. Todd Beamer's name has
often been associated with the word hero. Americans have a long
tradition of finding ordinary Americans who rise to the
occasion at difficult times. And it seems to me that this
memorial really is about heroes. America will always need
heroes. We will never have a lesser need in the future than we
have now. And I see this memorial as part of the education of
future heroes and the education of everyone so that they can
find those moments of heroism that is called for in their
lives.
And, again, I thank Mr. Turner and Mr. Hansen for bringing
this bill forward. And I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for these
hearings.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Holt.
Mr. Turner.
Mr. Turner. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to thank all of our witnesses for your testimony
here today. It was truly moving to hear from each of you, and I
think it renews our commitment to being sure that the events of
September 11th and those who have lost their lives and whose
lives have changed forever will not be forgotten.
I want to reassure our witness from the National Park
Service, Mr. Smith, that we certainly are not speaking--I feel
confident on behalf of Chairman Hansen as well--that we will
certainly work with you on the details that you raised issues
about. In fact, our staff, our able staff, has already noted
most of those issues in the bill, and we certainly want to
construct it in a way that it complies with the existing laws
requiring review of design and review of site location. Those
are certainly something we want to respect in this legislation,
certainly had really no intent not to do so.
We also want to be sure--and we appreciate your suggestions
from experience about timetables. We had already begun to note
that we had put a little tight timeframe in that legislation in
our interest in getting this memorial done, and that it perhaps
will need more flexibility in terms of the time required to
make the very careful decisions that should be made about what
this memorial should be like, where it should be.
I think Ms. Beamer stated it very eloquently when the
Chairman asked her why we needed this memorial in Washington,
because it does speak in a larger sense about who we are as
Americans, and obviously it is impossible to choose one spot to
reflect and memorialize the loss that has occurred to the
American people from terrorist acts.
I guess that is true with a lot of our memorials, World War
II memorial that is planned. Korean Memorial, Vietnam Wall
aren't built at the site of those battles, but are built in our
Nation's capital because they reflect a significant part of our
history. So I am confident that we need to have a national
memorial to memorialize all who have lost their lives to
terrorism and to express the struggle in which we are engaged
and which some day we will be able to look back upon as we see
that memorial as evidence that the American people persevered,
prevailed and defeated the forces of evil and stood up for
freedom and democracy and the dignity of man. But we want to
work with the Department to be sure that we construct this
legislation in a way that will be appropriate. And I fully
respect the fact that there are groups who, as was evidenced
over the site selection of the World War II Memorial, who
jealously guard the Mall, who desire to have it uncluttered,
and to have the open space preserved. And we certainly are
sensitive to those who hold that point of view.
But I think at the end of the day the people of this
country would like to see this memorial in our Nation's capital
at a suitable location. And we look forward to continuing to
receive input from the Department as we put this bill in better
shape for this Committee to act upon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Turner. I want to extend my
thanks to each and every member of the panel for being here and
giving your testimony. And that concludes discussion on this
bill. And again, God bless you and thank you very much. H.R.
3380
Mr. Radanovich. With that, I will call panel three, which
will be the Honorable William Jenkins from District 1 of
Tennessee, regarding H.R. 3380.
Mr. Radanovich. Our next bill is H.R. 3380. It is a bill to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue rights-of-way
permits for natural gas pipelines within the boundary of the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I want to welcome
Congressman William Jenkins for being here. Please begin.
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE WILLIAM JENKINS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TENNESSEE
Mr. Jenkins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you for
holding this hearing. You have stated the purpose of H.R. 3380,
and I would point out that such enabling statute has been
passed for many of the other national parks. But, for some
reason, and perhaps other witnesses can shed some light on it,
this has never been done for the Great Smoky Mountains National
Park.
This legislation resulted from a request by the Sevier
County Natural Gas Utility District to lay approximately 325
feet of pipe across a roadway that goes into the national park
to a private development. And there will be other facilities,
we feel sure, within the park itself that will have need of
these lines if the legislation is passed and if the Secretary
can issue the permits.
All of these lines will be underground. In most cases, they
will be under a roadway, and the natural beauty of this great
park will not in any way be disturbed. As the Members of this
Committee know, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the
most visited national park in the system.
Because of that, there is substantial growth around this
park and especially on the north side of the park. The Senate
has already passed this legislation, exactly as we present it
to this Committee today. And you are going to hear from Mr.
Daniel Smith, who is the special assistant to the Secretary of
Interior in support of this legislation. You are also going to
hear from Mr. Matt Ballard, who is the general manager of the
Sevier County Natural Gas Utility District, who will explain in
more detail the need for the legislation.
We will appreciate your favorable consideration, and I will
certainly be glad to answer any question, and I am sure the
other witnesses will, too.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Jenkins follows:]
Statement of The Honorable William L. ``Bill'' Jenkins, a
Representative in Congress from the State of Tennessee
Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for conducting this hearing on
the legislation I introduced, H.R. 3380. This bill will authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to issue right of way permits for natural gas
pipelines within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Following my testimony you will hear from Matt Ballard, General
Manager of the Sevier County Utility District, as well as P. Daniel
Smith of the National Park Service explaining the need for this
legislative action.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I want to take this
opportunity to testify to the economic benefit these pipelines will
bring to Sevier County, Tennessee. Sevier County serves as the gateway
to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park which drew over 9 million
visitors in 2001. It is the crown jewel of the National Park System.
Because of the popularity of the Great Smoky Mountains, communities
bordering the park have grown substantially and continue to do so.
Along with this population growth comes the need for expanded utility
service in the area. All parties agree that natural gas serves as a
clean, efficient energy source and that construction and maintenance of
this pipeline is consistent with good land stewardship policy.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, in closing I am hopeful
this bill will move quickly through the legislative process. The Senate
has passed companion legislation and awaits House action. I am grateful
for the opportunity to appear here today on this important legislation
for Sevier County, Tennessee.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Any questions?
Mrs. Christensen. I don't have any questions right now, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. You are more than
welcome to join us on the dias as we open up panel two here.
Mr. Jenkins. Thank you.
Mr. Radanovich. I will now call forward panel two. Mr.
Daniel Smith, of course, special assistant to the director of
the National Park Service, and also, Mr. Matt Ballard, who is
the general manager of Sevier County Utility District in
Sevierville, Tennessee, regarding this bill.
Yes, welcome. And, Mr. Ballard, you may begin.
STATEMENT OF MATT BALLARD, GENERAL MANAGER, SEVIER COUNTY
UTILITY DISTRICT, SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE
Mr. Ballard. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And, again, thank you
for having this hearing today on this legislation.
This bill came about due to the fact that the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park does not have enabling legislation that
would allow park or Department of Interior officials to approve
natural gas pipelines within the boundary of the park. It is my
understanding, in talking to park officials, that other parks
in the national park system have such enabling legislation.
Sevier County Utility District presently has a distribution
line constructed within the right of way of the road known as
the Gatlinburg Spur, which is considered part of the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park. This is the primary access into
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a narrow
corridor on either side of this roadway.
A new 10-phase development came to us requesting natural
gas. The park personnel reviewed this request for providing
services to the development. This involved approximately 325
feet of pipeline being installed across the right of way.
Upon further review of the proposed project, however, it
was determined that the park did not have this authorization.
For this reason, this enabling legislation is being sought.
In addition to this specific need, there are other park
facilities located within the park proper which may have need
of natural gas pipelines in the future.
Specific request of this project is for the installation of
a natural gasoline pipeline only. This does not involve any
hazardous substance, chemicals or other environmentally harmful
materials being introduced onto National Park property.
The 325-foot project would involve little, if any,
disruption, and would be either underground or under an
existing bridge. The entire pipeline would be in the road right
of way or under the pavement surface on an existing four-lane
divided highway.
Currently as it stands now, the pipeline runs south along
this corridor. We would be expanding it laterally 325 feet to
the northern corridor. Again, it is all under existing road
right of way, and would not--we are going to try to bore this
line, which will not have any cutting or disturbing any
vegetation, inside the park.
Again, I want to thank you for allowing us to be here today
on this legislation.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Ballard follows:]
Statement of Matt Ballard, General Manager, Sevier County Utility
District, on H.R. 3380
H.R. 3380 is a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
issue right-of-way permits for natural gas pipelines within the
boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
My name is Matt Ballard and I'm here on behalf of Sevier County
Utility District to speak in favor of the adoption of this bill. I'm
currently on the Board of Directors for both the American Public Gas
Association and Tennessee Gas Association. Besides being a board
member, I also serve on the Operations Committee of the American Public
Gas Association and the Education Steering Committee of the Tennessee
Gas Association. I am also on the Board of Directors for the East
Tennessee Small Customers Association.
I have prepared a two-page document that is available to the
members of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public
Lands, providing details of our position.
This bill came about due to the fact that the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park does not have enabling legislation that would allow Park
or Department of Interior officials to approve allowing natural gas
pipelines within the boundary of the Park. It is my understanding in
talking to Park officials that other parks in the National Park system
have such enabling legislation, however, Great Smoky Mountains National
Park does not.
Sevier County Utility District presently has a distribution line
constructed within the right-of-way of the road known as the Gatlinburg
Spur which is considered part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This is the primary access into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
and is a narrow corridor on either side of this roadway. A new ten-
phase development project is in the process of being completed just
outside this corridor. This development would like to receive natural
gas services from Sevier County Utility District. The Park personnel
reviewed the request for providing service to this development. This
involved an approximate 325-foot pipeline being installed across the
right-of-way. Upon further review of the proposed project, however, it
was determined that the Park did not have authorization. For this
reason, this enabling legislation is being sought. In addition to this
specific need, there are other Park facilities located within the Park
proper which may have need of natural gas pipelines in the future.
The specific request in this project is for the installation of a
natural gas pipeline only. This does not involve any hazardous
substance, chemicals or other environmentally harmful materials being
introduced onto National Park property. The 325-foot project would
involve little, if any, disruption and would be either underground or
under an existing bridge. The entire pipeline would be in the road
right-of-way or under the pavement surface on the existing four-lane
divided highway.
In addition to the approval of this project by National Park
Service personnel, this project has been approved by the City of
Gatlinburg administration, the ``Gateway Community'' to the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. No other permits or approvals are necessary
from any other regulatory body other than the National Park Service.
I have attached a map and drawing of the proposed construction.
______
The map and drawing follow:]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 78261.005
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Ballard, for being here and
testifying on this. Next, Mr. Smith, if you care to comment on
this legislation.
STATEMENT OF P. DANIEL SMITH, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Mr. Smith. Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department of the Interior's views on H.R. 3380, which would
provide legal authority to permit existing and future natural
gas pipelines within a portion of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Mr. Chairman, I will submit my full statement for the
record. But I would like the Committee to know that the
Department is in full support of H.R. 3380. The legislation is
identical to S. 1097, as amended and passed by the Senate on
October 17th, 2001.
It is an interesting issue that the Park Service does not
have this authority, so we do need to get it from Congress in
this case. Our understanding is that just as it has been laid
out. It is an existing pipeline that--additional pipelines may
be added immediately adjacent to it in the same corridor. And
we have no objection to the bill. And with that, Mr. Chairman,
I will conclude my remarks.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Smith follows:]
Statement of P. Daniel Smith, Special Assistant to the Director,
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, on H.R. 3380
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the
Department of the Interior's views on H.R. 3380, which would provide
legal authority to permit existing and future natural gas pipelines
within a portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park near
Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
The Department supports H.R. 3380. This legislation is identical to
S. 1097 as amended and passed by the Senate on October 17, 2001.
H.R. 3380 would provide authority for the continuing operation and
maintenance of an existing gas main that runs through Great Smoky
Mountains National Park that has been in place since the 1960's. And,
it would allow the Secretary of the Interior to authorize construction
of new gas lines, where otherwise appropriate, across several linear
park lands managed by Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The areas
where the new pipelines would be allowed are: the Foothills Parkway,
which extends parallel to the north boundary of the park for 70 miles;
the Foothills Parkway Spur, a four-mile-long park road (also U.S. 441)
which connects the gateway communities of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg;
and the Gatlinburg Bypass which links the Spur to the main body of the
park. All three areas are linear lands that are managed as scenic
transportation corridors. H.R. 3380 would not allow construction of
natural gas lines across the main body of the park.
The need for this legislation came to the attention of the National
Park Service last year, when Great Smoky Mountains National Park
received a request from Sevier County Utility District in Tennessee for
permission to install a new natural gas pipeline across the park-owned
Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur right-of-way (U.S. 441) in order to
provide gas service to a new development in the city of Gatlinburg.
Under 16 U.S.C. 79, the Secretary of the Interior may permit rights-of-
way through units of the National Park System for electrical, phone,
water, sewer and some other utility services, but that general
authority explicitly does not authorize installation of natural gas or
petroleum product-bearing lines.
Between the 1990 Census and the 2000 Census the population of
Sevier County, Tennessee, which includes Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge,
grew by 39 percent, making it the state's third fastest-growing county.
Within the county some of the most rapid growth is occurring between
the Foothills Parkway and the main body of the park in areas not
currently served by natural gas, other than the single six-inch line
along the Spur to Gatlinburg.
The single greatest natural resource problem in Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is declining air quality. Its vistas are
reduced by particulate emissions. Ozone levels in the park's higher
elevations reaches levels that pose a hazard to human health under
Environmental Protection Agency standards. High elevation streams and
soils are becoming increasingly acidified by airborne acid deposition
which is threatening plants, wildlife and aquatic systems. A large
proportion of this pollution is produced by coal-generated electrical
power plants. Significant progress is being made to reduce emissions
from power generation, and that progress could be aided by the use of
natural gas. The authority provided by H.R. 3380 would enable greater
usage of natural gas.
The need for an authorization for existing natural gas pipelines
stems from the developments that led to current National Park Service
management of the Foothills Parkway Spur. The Foothills Parkway Spur
was built by the Federal government in the 1950's on land acquired by
the State of Tennessee and donated to the Federal government. In 1963,
an agreement was signed between the National Park Service and the State
of Tennessee that called for the Spur to be transferred back to the
State after the Federal government built the Gatlinburg Bypass on other
lands donated by the State. Subsequent to the 1963 agreement, the
National Park Service allowed construction of a six-inch natural gas
main down the Spur which still provides the only gas service to
Gatlinburg.
At that time, the National Park Service's only concern was to
ensure that the line's installation was acceptable to the State of
Tennessee as the land's future owner. Although the Gatlinburg Bypass
was completed in 1968, the State has declined, for a variety of
reasons, to accept the Spur back into State ownership, leaving the
National Park Service with a pipeline it has no current authority to
permit. This legislation will allow for the continued operation and
maintenance of this line.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be pleased to
answer any questions you or other members of the Subcommittee may have.
______
Mr. Radanovich. Thank you, Mr. Smith. Any other questions
from anybody? All right. Thank you very much for being here.
Mr. Jenkins, any comments?
Mr. Jenkins. No, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Radanovich. All right. This ends this hearing. Mr.
Smith.
Mr. Smith. Mr. Chairman, I apologize. From the prior bill,
could I, for the National Capital Planning Commission put into
the record their letter also with their concerns on H.R. 2982,
because they will be a major partner as we work with the
Committee and the Congress to work on that bill.
Mr. Radanovich. Certainly. Thank you for bringing it up.
There being no objection, so ordered.
Mr. Radanovich. If that is all there is, that is the
business of this Subcommittee. It is finished. Thank you very
much.
[Whereupon, at 3:20 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
[The letter from John V. Cogbill III, Chairman, National
Capital Planning Commission, submitted for the record follows:]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 78261.002
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 78261.003
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