[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 19, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9513-S9514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 66--TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
  THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER MEDAL OF VALOR SHOULD BE AWARDED TO 
 PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN THE AFTERMATH OF 
              THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

  Mr. STEVENS (for himself, Mr. Carper, and Mr. Lieberman) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution, which was ordered held at the 
desk.

                            S. Con. Res. 66

       Whereas the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 
     2001 (Public Law 107-12, 115 Stat. 20)--
       (A) allows the President to award, and present in the name 
     of Congress, a Medal of Valor to a public safety officer 
     cited by the Attorney General of the United States, upon the 
     recommendation of the Medal of Valor Review Board, for 
     extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty; and
       (B) provides that the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor 
     shall be the highest national award for valor by a public 
     safety officer;
       Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and 
     destroyed 4 civilian aircraft, crashing 2 of the planes into 
     the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and a 
     third into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, DC;
       Whereas thousands of innocent Americans were killed or 
     injured as a result of these attacks, including rescue 
     workers, police officers, and firefighters at the World Trade 
     Center and at the Pentagon;
       Whereas these attacks destroyed both towers of the World 
     Trade Center, as well as adjacent buildings, and seriously 
     damaged the Pentagon;
       Whereas police officers, firefighters, public safety 
     officers, and medical response crews were thrown into 
     extraordinarily dangerous situations, responding to these 
     horrendous events and acting heroically, without concern for 
     their own safety, trying to help and to save as many of the 
     lives of others as possible in the impact zones, in spite of 
     the clear danger to their own lives; and
       Whereas these attacks were by far the deadliest terrorist 
     attacks ever launched against the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) because of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the 
     limit on the number of Public Safety Officer Medals of Valor 
     should be waived, and a medal should be awarded under the 
     Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001 to any 
     public safety officer, as defined in that Act, who was killed 
     in the line of duty; and
       (2) the Medal of Valor Review Board should give strong 
     consideration to the acts of bravery by other public safety 
     officers in responding to these events.

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, yesterday Senator Inouye and I went to 
New York City to visit the disaster area. It was an experience I shall 
never forget. We had the cooperation of the New York National Guard, 
which flew us in a helicopter over the area of the World Trade Center, 
and then met Mayor Giuliani on the ground and visited the disaster 
scene.
  Today, I have come to this Chamber to introduce a Senate concurrent 
resolution. This resolution would express the sense of the Congress 
that the Public Safety Officers Medal of Valor should be awarded to 
public safety officers killed in the line of duty in the aftermath of 
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
  It is with a sad heart that I introduce this resolution, for once 
again America has seen some of our finest go into harm's way to help 
those they are sworn to protect and serve. Many of these firefighters, 
police officers, and public safety officers gave their lives. They made 
the ultimate sacrifice for our country in the service of their fellow 
Americans.
  Without regard for their own safety, firefighters, police officers, 
port authority officers, rescue personnel, and others rushed into the 
World Trade Center and the Pentagon to help in the rescue of workers in 
those buildings. Senator Inouye and I visited the Pentagon the day 
before yesterday to view that site.
  Many of these people gave their lives in helping those they sought to 
rescue. The truly heroic response of our public servants to these 
horrible and evil attacks on America and Americans should not go 
unnoticed, and we all know the acts will not go unpunished.
  The Public Service Medal of Valor was created to recognize public 
safety officers who act with extraordinary valor above and beyond the 
call of duty and to recognize the protective service that goes often 
unnoticed in our daily lives.
  In 1998, in the U.S. Capitol, Senators, Congressmen, tourists, and 
staff were reminded of the tremendous sacrifices that officers make 
every day when Officers Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson gave their lives 
defending the peace and defending our lives here in the Nation's 
Capitol.
  Shortly after that tragic event, I introduced the Senate version of 
the Medal of Valor Act. The law allows for five medals to be awarded a 
year, but I believe it is important to recognize all those who lost 
their lives on September 11, 2001, in the horrendous attacks in New 
York City and the Pentagon. They deserve consideration under this law.

[[Page S9514]]

  When President Bush signed the Public Safety Medal of Valor Act into 
law on May 30 of this year, 28 of our colleagues were cosponsors of the 
Senate version.
  It is my hope that they and others in the Senate will join in 
recognizing the heroic acts of all our public safety officers killed in 
the line of duty in the aftermath of these terrorist attacks of 
September 11 of this year by cosponsoring this resolution and helping 
to get it passed.
  I ask the concurrent resolution remain at the desk so those who wish 
to cosponsor can do so through tomorrow.
  Is that request in order, Mr. President?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair is advised that doing so may delay 
referral of the bill.
  Mr. STEVENS. It is my desire to have those who wish to be an original 
cosponsor have the opportunity to do so, and I ask the cooperation of 
the Parliamentarian to see how that can be worked out.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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