[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 157 (Wednesday, November 14, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        UNFINISHED BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have often risen to this 
floor over the last couple of weeks and spoken about the unfinished 
business of this House, and I again rise to my feet.
  Let me, first of all, make a very brief comment about airline 
security. We had a deal, Mr. Speaker. We had a bill passed by 101 in 
the other body. We had the opportunity in this House to likewise pass 
that bill and immediately place it on the President's desk. The 
Republican majority chose not to do that, causing a conference and 
causing delay.
  In the course of that delay, an individual went into O'Hare Airport 
with seven knives, a stun gun, and pepper spray. Now, I have 
legislation that I will be offering that criminalizes the carrying of 
knives and instruments of danger on airplanes, but I would much rather 
be passing a comprehensive airline security bill, and I hope we will do 
that.
  I offer that in the spirit of bipartisanship and I offer that in the 
spirit of the voice of the American people. I have heard their voices, 
and I think their voices sing the same refrain: Help us protect 
ourselves and help us protect those who travel the airlines of America 
and around the world.
  I also feel compelled to come to this floor to acknowledge the needs 
of two young women, Dayna Curry, who celebrated her birthday while 
incarcerated in an Afghanistan jail, and Heather Mercer, 24, both of 
them from the State of Texas. Let me thank their Congressperson, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), for his untiring efforts on their 
behalf.
  I rise today as a mother, as the Chair of the Congressional 
Children's Caucus, as a woman, to ask whether or not these young ladies 
have been forgotten along with the other detainees. We now find out 
that with the Taliban they have been absconded off to the southern part 
of Afghanistan. We do not know where they are. We are told by 
Afghanistan detention center guards that they were nice young women; 
that they were taken away in the dark of night; that we do not know 
where they are. We believe they may be going off to a southern city.
  We understand the conditions they were living in were none to be 
proud of. There was no four star and five star hotel. We understand 
that they tried to stay positive by singing songs and praying. We 
understand that they do not separate from each other. They are two 
Americans, I think there is a total of eight, and they are united.
  We also understand that family members have not been able to talk 
with them; that they have not been able to meet with outside officials 
since their lawyers' last visit in late October. Who amongst us, Mr. 
Speaker, would tolerate that here in the United States or accept that?
  These young women cannot be forgotten. And even though there may be 
some inner workings, some negotiation, I think the voice of the United 
States should be strong: We want our hostages returned. We want these 
young women returned. These young women were not violating any laws 
other than merciful efforts to help people to have a better life.
  The Taliban should be challenged. Yes, they may be running away, the 
Northern Alliance may be victorious, they may be in Kabul, but we must 
stand up for these young women. I am looking to the State Department to 
begin to ask the hard questions about these young women, and I want to 
join with my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), to 
demand for their release, but also for a voice of the United States, 
the kind of voice we had with the hostages in Iran.
  Let us have a voice as we parallel to fight terrorism and to fight 
against the Taliban. Have them give our people back and let our voices 
be loud.
  Mr. Speaker, let me briefly thank the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. 
Jo Ann Davis) for what she has been doing in acknowledging those who 
lost their lives on September 11, 2001. As I begin to call their names, 
and I may not be able to conclude it, but I want to call their names 
and ask apologies of their families if I mispronounce them:
  Harold Lizcano, Martin Lizzul, George Llanes, Elizabeth Claire 
``Beth'' Logler, Catherine Lisa LoGuidice, Jerome Lohez, Michael Lomax, 
Stephen V. Long, Laura M. Longing, Salvatore Lopes, David Lopez, 
Maclovio ``Joe'' Lopez, George Lopez, Manuel ``Manny'' L. Lopez, 
Leobarbo Lopez, Daniel Lopez, Israel P. Lopez, Luis M. Lopez, Chet 
Louie, Stuart Seid Louis, Joseph Lovero, Sara Low, Michael W. Lowe, 
Garry Lozier, John Peter Lozowsky, Charles Peter Lucania, Edward 
``Ted'' Hobbs Luckett, II, Mark G. Ludvigsen, Lee Charles Ludwig, Sean 
Thomas Lugano, Daniel Lugo, Jin Lui, Marie Lukas, William Lum, Jr., 
Michael P. Lunden, Christopher Lunder, Anthony Luparello, Gary Lutnick, 
Linda Luzzicone, Alexander Lygin, CeeCee Lyles, and Lyn Corea Gray.
  They are all people. They lost their lives on September 11, 2001. It 
is the challenge of this House to pay tribute to them in the works we 
do and also to bring our hostages home.

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