[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 109 (Wednesday, August 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN AIR 801 
                                 CRASH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 5, 1998

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, August 6, the people of Guam, 
the survivors and the family members of the ill-fated Korean Air 801 
flight will commemorate the one year anniversary of this sorrowful day. 
The death of 228 men, women and children is not merely a morbid 
statistic, these individuals were mothers, fathers, uncles, aunt, 
grandparents, daughters, sons and friends of hundreds of other 
individuals spread out across the globe, from Guam to Seoul to 
California.
  While many continue to feel the pain of this tragic episode, others 
rely on the passage of time as part of their personal healing process. 
One year ago, a Guam hillside was strewn with wreckage debris and 
bodies; today, a 24-foot high obelisk stands tall, a memorial to the 
lives lost on that fateful morning.
  Today, I, along with the people of Guam, express my condolences to 
victims' family members, as well as my gratitude to the various 
federal, military, government and civilian personnel who assisted in 
the search, rescue and recovery mission.
  Even as this memorial is completed a year after the crash, the 
investigation process is still underway. I attended the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) March informational hearing 
conducted to gather more data about the Korean Air 801 accident. While 
the wreckage examination is complete, a draft of the factual report 
written by NTSB officials will not be available until the end of 
September. A final report determining probable cause of the accident 
will be submitted to the NTSB Board later this year.
  I would like to remind my colleagues that the Foreign Air Carrier 
Family Support Act emerged from the Korean Air 801 crash. I introduced 
this legislation a little more than a month after the accident, and it 
became law within 3 months of its introduction. The swiftness of its 
passage and the strong bipartisan support demonstrated during its 
development proves how important respect and understanding must be 
accorded to those affected by the devastating consequences of an 
airline crash. The law, enacted at the beginning of the year, requires 
foreign air carriers to implement a disaster family assistance plan 
should an accident involving their carrier take place on American soil. 
I am pleased to note that after the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support 
Act was enacted, about 95% of airline passengers are now covered by 
family emergency plans.
  Korean Air 801's one-year anniversary should not only remind us of 
the grief and turmoil of the crash, it should also serve as a reminder 
of the stalwart courage and tremendous effort displayed by the 
survivors, family members and friends, and individuals who assisted in 
the aftermath, whether they physically carried passengers to safety or 
provided interpretation services to families.
  The people of Guam have experienced an enormous loss; at the same 
time, we have gained an even greater sense of compassion for others. 
The Korean Air 801 crash has provided us this valuable lesson, let us 
continue to practice it in remembrance of all those who perished one 
year ago.

                          ____________________