[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 132 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S10335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 75--TO EXPRESS THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
 THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER MEDAL OF VALOR SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO 
 PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE 
 TERRORIST ATTACKS PERPETRATED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 
  11, 2001, AND TO THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SEARCH, RESCUE, AND 
           RECOVERY EFFORTS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THOSE ATTACKS

  Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. 
Allen, Mr. Helms, Mr. Corzine, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Voinovich, and Mr. 
Lieberman) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 75

       Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and 
     destroyed 4 civilian aircraft, crashing 2 of them into the 
     towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third 
     into the Pentagon, and a fourth in rural southwest 
     Pennsylvania;
       Whereas thousands of innocent Americans and many foreign 
     nationals were killed and injured as a result of the surprise 
     terrorist attacks, including the passengers and crews of the 
     4 aircraft, workers in the World Trade Center and the 
     Pentagon, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency 
     assistance personnel, and bystanders;
       Whereas hundreds of public safety officers were killed and 
     injured as a result of the terrorist attacks, many of whom 
     would perish when the twin towers of the World Trade Center 
     collapsed upon them after they rushed to the aid of innocent 
     civilians who were imperiled when the terrorists first 
     launched their attacks;
       Whereas thousands more public safety officers continued to 
     risk their own lives and long-term health in sifting through 
     the aftermath and rubble of the terrorist attacks to rescue 
     those who may have survived and to recover the dead;
       Whereas the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 
     2001 (Public Law 107-12, 115 Stat. 20) authorizes the 
     President to award and present in the name of Congress, a 
     Medal of Valor to public safety officers for extraordinary 
     valor above and beyond the call of duty;
       Whereas the Attorney General of the United States has 
     discretion to increase the number of recipients of the Medal 
     of Valor under that Act beyond that recommended by the Medal 
     of Valor Review Board in extraordinary cases in any given 
     year;
       Whereas the terrorist attacks against the United States on 
     September 11, 2001 and their aftermath constitute the single 
     most deadly assault on our American homeland in our Nation's 
     history; and
       Whereas those public safety officers who perished and were 
     injured, and all those who participated in the efforts to 
     rescue whomever may have survived the terrorist attacks and 
     recover those whose lives were taken so suddenly and 
     violently are the first casualties and veterans of America's 
     new war against terrorism, which was unanimously authorized 
     by the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Senate Joint 
     Resolution 23, enacted September 14, 2001): Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the President should award and present in the name of 
     Congress a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to every 
     public safety officer who was killed or seriously injured as 
     a result of the terrorist attacks perpetrated against the 
     United States on September 11, 2001, and to deserving public 
     safety officers who participated in the search, rescue, and 
     recovery efforts in the aftermath of those attacks; and
       (2) such assistance and compensation as may be needed 
     should be provided to the public safety officers who were 
     injured or whose health was otherwise adversely affected as a 
     result of their participation in the search, rescue, and 
     recovery efforts undertaken in the aftermath of the terrorist 
     attacks of September 11, 2001.

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I stand today with my colleagues from New 
York and Virginia to honor those public safety officials, our police, 
firefighters, and emergency services personnel, who were lost, or 
seriously wounded in the attacks of September 11 and to public safety 
officers who participated in the subsequent search, rescue, and 
recovery efforts.
  In a tragedy so horrific, when so many were lost so unexpectedly, 
there is little we can do to console a grieving family. A thank you 
won't console a child whose father won't be there to say good night. 
It's little solace to the men and women of a firehouse who even now are 
waiting to welcome their brothers and sisters home. But by showing our 
gratitude for their sacrifice, by saying a simple thank you, we can 
help heal the hearts of the men, women, and children who were left 
behind, or who struggled to save their friends and neighbors.
  Today, my colleagues and I hope to be part of this process of healing 
by introducing a resolution recommending that the President award the 
Congressional Medal of Valor for Public Safety Officers to those public 
safety officials killed or seriously wounded in the September 11 
attacks and to deserving public safety officers who participated in the 
subsequent search, rescue and recovery efforts.
  These medals will serve as a thank you to those still with us. But I 
think they can do much more for the families who lost loved ones. I've 
seen how medals awarded in combat can help tell a story to a child 
about a lost loved one. They can show a child and an entire family that 
their loved one did not die in vain. These medals can say that these 
men and women gave their lives in service to their neighbors and to 
their nation, and that nation is a grateful one.
  History will mark September 11, 2001 as one of the darkest days in 
our Nation's history. In less than two hours, more Americans were 
killed than those who died during the Revolutionary War or the surprise 
attack on Pearl Harbor. Words cannot begin to capture our grief, our 
loss, or our resolve to strike back against global terrorism.
  But in that darkest of hours, the bravery and selflessness of our 
public safety officials shined a light of hope for us all to follow. 
You see it reflected back in towns large and small across America. You 
see it in flag-lined streets, lines of blood donors, and in the 
millions contributed to help care for the victims families. The example 
set by our police, firefighters and emergency services personal steeled 
the resolve of every American.
  I would be remiss if I did not thank my colleague and the senior 
Senator from Alaska Senator Stevens. Earlier this year the Congress 
passed, the president signed, the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor 
Act, which was authorized by my friend from Alaska. That earlier 
recognition of the need to honor the heroism of public service officers 
makes today's resolution possible, and I thank my colleague from 
Alaska.
  I should also note that Senator Stevens has also introduced a 
resolution similar to the one we offer today. My resolution goes 
somewhat further by calling on the President to award the Congressional 
Medal of Valor to those killed and those seriously injured in the 
attacks and to deserving public safety officers who participated in the 
subsequent search, rescue, and recovery efforts.
  The men and women this resolution would honor are the first victims 
of America's first war of the 21st century. My solemn prayer is that 
they will be the final casualties of a final war. But then I remember 
the destruction of the past century, how we spoke of a War to End All 
Wars, only to see the century unfold with more destruction. As we move 
closer to some form of military action, I hope for a day when we can 
stop throwing more young lives into the breech and instead repair the 
breech itself.
  But today, to these new fellow veterans, we say thank you. A grateful 
Nation has drawn its strength from the courageous firefighters, police 
officers, and emergency services personnel who have sacrificed so much 
without hesitation. It is my privilege to have this chance to say thank 
you in this small way. I want to thank my colleagues from New York and 
Virginia. I hope we can move this resolution forward with the help of 
all of my colleagues.




                          ____________________