[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 120 (Friday, September 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H5699-H5700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TERRORIST VICTIMS FLAG MEMORIAL RESOLUTION OF 2001

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on 
House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the 
resolution (H.Res. 239), providing Capitol-flown flags to each 
surviving victim, and the family of each deceased victim, of the 
terrorist attacks which occurred on September 11, 2001, and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for an explanation of the resolution.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is here on behalf of the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the ranking member of the Committee on House 
Administration, and myself.
  This resolution would authorize funds for the provisions of flags 
that have been flown over the great Capitol to the surviving victims 
and the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic events of 
September 11, 2001.
  Pursuant to this resolution, those who were injured or lost a loved 
one in these hideous attacks would be entitled to receive, at no cost, 
the United States flag. I believe all Members will agree that 
provisions of the flag, what we believe in the flag as a symbol of our 
country and to give that is the least we can do to show our support for 
those tragically affected by these barbaric acts.

                              {time}  0150

  Mr. Speaker, as we stand here tonight, behind you is our flag, which 
is the greatest symbol of our country. And as we have the energetic 
give and take of public debate on the floor of this Chamber to do our 
duty, to represent freedom, to represent our constituents and our very 
American way of life, we recognize, I know, that we could not be here 
to have our debates and our agreements and our disagreements if it were 
not for the veterans of our country, who from the beginning of our 
revolution up through today, as our military stands ready always, as 
our troops are overseas in situations that put them in harm's way, and 
we always know through all of this that the colors do not run on that 
flag and neither have our veterans.
  I mention the veterans because they are so important to us. Mr. 
Speaker, I believe also we should mention that we realize that 
somewhere in this tragic amount of individuals who have lost their 
lives, there are veterans; but we also recognize in fact that there are 
nonveterans that have also in fact lost their lives. And it is fitting 
that those targeted, whether veterans or nonveterans, should receive in 
tribute the symbol of our great Nation, the American flag, that has 
been flown across the United States Capitol, the structure that houses 
our great institutions of democracy.
  Tragically, the victims of this savage attack are numerous. Though 
there are many victims, each should be honored. Every single one of 
them. This resolution will permit Members to show that they, this 
Congress, and our country mourn the loss deeply of our fellow citizens 
and we are in solidarity with those that have had the ultimate price

[[Page H5700]]

of their lives taken away from them and we are in deepest sympathy with 
their families.
  It has long be been the law of this Nation and of our land that when 
a veteran dies their family receives a flag. All those who died and 
were injured on September 11, 2001, again may have not been in our 
armed services, but they all assuredly were casualties of war, and they 
should be recognized as such. I hope all Members will join me in 
passing this resolution.
  Mr. BAIRD. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the 
distinguished gentleman from Ohio and the gentleman from Maryland for 
introducing this legislation. And, parenthetically, I would like to 
thank them both for their support of recent efforts to counsel the 
staff and other Members of this body to help them deal with the events 
surrounding the tragedy of Tuesday.
  Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, two great symbols of the United States were 
attacked along with thousands of our countrymen. When the symbols of 
the World Trade Center fell, that collapse took with it the lives of 
thousands of innocent men, women, young children, and senior citizens. 
We have grieved since that time; and in our grief other symbols have 
risen up to demonstrate our solidarity with the victims, and those 
symbols are those familiar stars and stripes of the American flag. As 
those symbols have risen, they have lifted the human spirits of our 
population.
  It is one of the tragedies of events like this that the fire and the 
degree of destruction will tragically not leave remains even for the 
loved ones who are left behind. They will be left with memories. They 
will be left with horrifying images, with photographs; but they will 
not have even the bodies, in many cases, of their loved ones to 
cherish. But this body today has an opportunity to give at least 
something to the survivors and the families, and that something is 
something very precious. It is an American flag. It is a flag that will 
have been flown over this Capitol, a Capitol that stands for the entire 
world as a symbol itself, a symbol of freedom.
  As we look up each day in the weeks to come and we see the flags 
symbolizing that freedom over this building, we can know, and the 
families of the victims can know, that those flags stand for them, they 
stand for future generations, and they stand for the best this country 
has to offer.
  With this resolution, the Congress is authorizing the giving of those 
flags to the survivors' families from this terrible accident; and it is 
our hope, however small the gesture may seem, that in some small way 
those flags can lift the spirits of the families as they have lifted 
the spirits of the Nation for many years past and for years to come.
  I commend the authors of this legislation. I encourage all Americans 
to fly their own flags over their homes and businesses, and I hope that 
in some small way this bill and the flags that will be given to the 
families will help carry them through this difficult time, just as the 
flags have helped carry our Nation through many past challenges and 
crises.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BAIRD. Further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to point out, and I would be 
remiss if I did not do this, that though we have authored this 
resolution, myself and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), I want 
to note that this tremendous idea, this tremendous gesture, this move 
by this Congress to help communicate with these families that we do 
care that they paid the ultimate price, was the idea of the gentleman 
from Washington. He brought it to us. And I just wanted to commend the 
gentleman for bringing this idea. Although we have authored it, we 
really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gentleman in proposing 
this.
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 239

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This resolution may be cited as the ``Terrorist Victims 
     Flag Memorial Resolution of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. CAPITOL-FLOWN FLAGS FOR VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 
                   2001, TERRORIST ATTACKS.

       (a) Authority.--
       (1) In general.--At the request of a surviving victim, or 
     the family of a deceased victim, of the terrorist attacks 
     which occurred on September 11, 2001, the Representative of 
     such victim or family may provide the victim or family with a 
     Capitol-flown flag, not to exceed one flag per victim or 
     family, together with the certificate described in paragraph 
     (4).
       (2) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect on the 
     date on which the Committee on House Administration approves 
     the regulations issued by the Clerk of the House of 
     Representatives under subsection (b).
       (3) Cost.--Flags shall be provided at no cost to the 
     victims or their families. Such funds as may be necessary for 
     the administration of this program, including the purchase 
     and delivery of flags provided pursuant to this resolution, 
     are hereby authorized to be appropriated from the applicable 
     accounts of the House of Representatives.
       (4) Certificate described.--The certificate described in 
     this paragraph is a certificate which is signed by the 
     Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 
     Representatives providing the flag, and which reads as 
     follows: ``This flag has been flown over the United States 
     Capitol, in memory of those who perished, and to honor those 
     who were injured, as a result of the terrorist attacks which 
     occurred on September 11, 2001. It is presented to the 
     surviving victims, and the families of those who lost their 
     lives, with profound sorrow on behalf of the United States 
     House of Representatives.''.
       (b) Regulations and Procedures.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     adoption of this resolution, the Clerk shall issue 
     regulations for carrying out this resolution, including 
     regulations to establish procedures (including any 
     appropriate forms, guidelines, and accompanying certificates) 
     for requesting a Capitol-flown flag.
       (2) Approval by committee on house administration.--The 
     regulations issued by the Clerk under paragraph (1) shall 
     take effect upon approval by the Committee on House 
     Administration.
       (c) Applicability.--This resolution shall only apply to 
     victims of the terrorist attacks which occurred in the United 
     States on September 11, 2001.
       (d) Definitions.--In this resolution--
       (1) the term ``Capitol-flown flag'' means a United States 
     flag flown over the United States Capitol in honor of the 
     deceased or surviving victim for whom such flag is requested;
       (2) the term ``Representative'' includes a Delegate or 
     Resident Commissioner to the Congress; and
       (3) the term ``victim'' means a person who lost his or her 
     life in, or due to, the attacks of September 11, 2001, or who 
     sustained physical injury due to the attacks, but does not 
     include the aircraft hijackers and any other person 
     determined to have taken part in those attacks.

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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