[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       NATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS DAY

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Post Office and Civil Service be discharged from further 
consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 411) designating 
October 29, 1994, as ``National Firefighters Day'' and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, reserving my right to object, I yield to 
the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], the chief sponsor of House 
Joint Resolution 411.
  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. 
Morella] for her leadership, and also I want to thank my friend, the 
distinguished gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] 
for her leadership, and for her assistance in passing this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Congressional Fire Services 
Caucus, I am pleased to bring National Firefighters Day to the floor. I 
would like to thank Chairman Clay for his and his staff's efforts on 
this bill, and I would also like to thank Congressmen Boehlert, 
Valentine, Weldon, and Boucher for their efforts to help pass this 
bill.
  Last year 78 firefighters died in the line of duty protecting their 
communities. Countless others were injured or disabled. The 2 million 
fire and emergency response personnel who step out each day, know the 
risk they face. Yet they do not shirk from their job and its 
responsibilities.
  My colleague Curt Weldon likes to refer these men and women as first 
responders--and that is exactly what they are. They are first on the 
scene to fires, first on the scene to accidents, first on the scene to 
medical emergencies, and, often, they are the first ones to respond to 
crime scenes.
  House Joint Resolution 411 will designate October 29, 1994 as 
National Firefighters Day, and is an appropriate way for Congress to 
recognize the efforts of our first responders and of their comrades who 
died in the line of duty. I hope that all of my colleagues, and the 
American public will reflect on their work and sacrifices during this 
day. Again, I appreciate my colleagues support of this resolution, and 
am pleased to be able to recognize our country's first responders.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from 
Maryland [Mrs. Morella], my colleague, the gentlewoman from the 
District of Columbia [Ms. Norton], my colleague, the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Gilman], and the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Clay] for their 
leadership on this legislation.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, further reserving my right to object, I 
want to indicate my strong support for this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute the more than two million firefighters 
nationwide, both career and volunteer, who risk their lives each year 
to protect and preserve our communities. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in paying tribute to these home-town heroes by supporting House 
Joint Resolution 411 which would designate October 29, 1994 as National 
Firefighters Day.
  Each day, more than one million firefighters put their lives on the 
line to protect their communities. Setting aside one day to recognize 
these brave men and women who serve as our Nation's domestic defenders 
would raise awareness of the value and commitment to local communities 
of America's volunteer and career firefighters. It is the least that we 
can do.
  On September 30, I had occasion to spend an evening at the 
Kensington, MD, Volunteer Fire Department and participating as an 
observer on calls run that night. I went at the invitation of 
Kensington Fire Chief James P. Stanton II and was assisted by Mike 
Kelley, who is Kensington's administrative officer. I came away from 
that experience with a great appreciation and tremendous respect for 
the valiant men and women who routinely face searing heat, choking 
smoke, clouds of toxic chemicals, and hazardous traffic conditions. 
When firefighters die in the line of duty, it is a tragedy. But I 
learned from Chief Stanton and Officer Kelley that firefighters 
understand the risks that they take and still are dedicated to helping 
their communities.
  Montgomery County, MD, employs more than 800 professional 
firefighters and more than 1000 volunteers. These unsung heroes put 
their safety on the line to protect the community and provide the 
highest quality of service to the citizens of my district. For their 
courage and their commitment, these firefighters, along with their 
counterparts across our Nation, deserve recognition for the sacrifices 
they make. I urge my colleagues to support National Firefighters Day 
and send the fire community the message that we appreciate the 
essential and difficult work that they do.

                              {time}  1920

  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. 
Hoyer] and the Fire Safety Caucus of which we are all members for his 
leadership in this direction.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] who is a member of that caucus.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.J. Res. 411, which 
recognizes the dedication and sacrifices of our Nation's firefighters 
by designating October 29, 1994 as National Firefighters Day and I 
commend the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, the Chairman of the 
Firefighters Caucus, Mr. Hoyer, for his sponsorship of this resolution.
  Our fire departments are the most crucial of all public services, 
but, in many ways, fire departments are often forgotten. Perhaps that 
is because they are not as visible daily as our police and postmen.
  Yet the numbers show, that throughout our Nation, a higher percentage 
of firefighters are killed or injured in the line of duty than workers 
in any other occupation.
  It is appropriate, therefore that there be a national day to honor 
the many sacrifices of our courageous firefighters, both volunteers and 
paid firemen, especially those firefighters who are killed in the line 
of duty each year. Our deepest sympathies go out to those families who 
have suffered such severe losses.
  Mr. Speaker, accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support this 
important measure.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton].
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I would simply rise to thank my good friend and regional 
colleague for his initiative in bringing forward this resolution naming 
October 29, 1994, appropriately as National Firefighters Day. His 
appropriate dedication to firefighters in his region and all over the 
United States is well-known. I appreciate his leadership. I have a 
sentimental attachment to firefighters inasmuch as my own grandfather 
entered the D.C. Fire Department in 1902. That sentimental attachment 
is matched only by my great respect for firefighters in the District of 
Columbia who perform their duties under very difficult circumstances.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer].
  Mr. SAWYER. I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleague, the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. Gilman] and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
in associating myself with the remarks of our colleagues the 
gentlewoman from Maryland, [Mrs. Morella] and especially the gentleman 
from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer], the sponsor of this legislation.
  As a former mayor, I can attest to the value that citizens place on 
firefighters. There is no more valued service day in the day out year 
after year that American citizens find in their governments on the 
local level than those of firefighters. Too often we look at 
firefighters as they sit and wait and think of the job as sedentary. 
But the truth of the matter is that the work of the firefighter is a 
matter of being ready, a matter of readiness to undertake the most 
chilling kind of work, to protect the lives of thousands of their 
fellow citizens.
  I would like to join in those comments and to thank the gentleman 
from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer] and all those involved in this legislation 
for their effort to recognize October 29 as National Firefighters Day.
  If I might proceed for just a moment, please, I have to admit that I 
was looking for the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] on the 
floor with regard, to H.J. Res. 413, National Family Literacy Day, and 
to my surprise found that he was unable to be here and as a result 
missed that opportunity to commend my friend for his leadership on that 
important issue.
  The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] and I have spent a 
good deal of time together on the Committee on Education and Labor and 
share the belief that if we fail to focus on the core problem of 
marginal literacy rates in this country, we will be building all our 
hopes for the future on a deeply perilous foundation.
  I would like to point out to all of those who gather here and who 
listen to these words that the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. 
Goodling] was indeed the first person in this Congress and perhaps the 
first among lawmakers throughout the country to realize as fully as we 
all now do that low literacy is an intergenerational problem and that 
any meaningful solution will have to include intergenerational efforts. 
The Even Start Program that the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. 
Goodling] created and is now considered the preeminent family literacy 
model in the country is a model for sound legislation.
  I have found this to be a hallmark of the incredible talent of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Goodling] as a legislator, that a 
powerful idea can be found in a simple and elegant approach.
  With those few words, let me thank you all for the opportunity to 
proceed on two subjects rather than one and particularly to thank again 
those who stand today on behalf of our firefighters, the public 
servants that Americans value most day in and day out.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio and I 
concur with the wonderful sentiment that he expressed. I am glad the 
fact that he had the experience as a mayor that he decided to come to 
Congress as a representative.
  Mr. WELDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 
411, which commemorates October 29, 1994, as National Firefighters Day.
  Let me first praise the distinguished gentleman from Maryland [Mr. 
Hoyer] for his work on this and other important fire and life safety 
issues. As chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, he has 
used his insight and vision to address the issues facing the fire 
service today. I appreciate all of his efforts to bring this 
legislation to the floor tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, National Firefighters Day is an important event each 
year. It is the one chance which we have to recognize the tremendous 
contributions made by the 1.7 million men and women who make up the 
fire service in America.
  Firefighters are the backbone of our communities. Not only do they 
put out fires, they are often the first responders to medical 
emergencies and crime scenes. They get cats out of trees. They organize 
search parties to find lost children. They arrange parades on Memorial 
Day and the Fourth of July. They run community softball leagues. The 
fire station is often the site of weddings and other community 
functions. In many towns across the Nation, the fire station doubles as 
the community polling place.
  Firefighting, unfortunately, is one of the most dangerous positions 
in America. Each year, approximately 100 men and women lose their lives 
in service to their communities. They are honored in a ceremony at the 
National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD. I have attended several 
ceremonies at the Fallen Firefighters Memorial and know the sacrifies 
which this event commemorates.
  This legislation is important to the families of those men and women 
and to everyone involved in the fire service. It is the chance for 
Congress to show that we understand the sacrifices which they have made 
to make their communities safer places to live.
  As a former firefighter and fire chief, it gives me great pleasure to 
see the House pass H.J. Res. 411. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues in the 104th Congress to enact other legislation to provide 
more tangible assistance to the fire service, America's true domestic 
defender.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sharp). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the joint resolution, as follows:

                             H.J. Res. 411

       Whereas there are over 2,000,000 firefighters in the United 
     States;
       Whereas firefighters respond to more than 2,300,000 fires 
     and 8,700,000 emergencies other than fires each year;
       Whereas fires annually cause nearly 6,000 deaths and 
     $10,000,000,000 in property damages;
       Whereas firefighters have given their lives and risked 
     injury to preserve the lives and protect the property of 
     others;
       Whereas the contributions and sacrifices of valiant 
     firefighters often go unreported and are inadequately 
     recognized by the public; and
       Whereas the work of firefighters deserves the attention and 
     gratitude of all individuals in the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That October 
     29, 1994, is designated as ``National Firefighters Day'', and 
     the President of the United States is authorized and 
     requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of 
     the United States to observe the day with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities.
  The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third 
time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider 
was laid on the table.

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