[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 19, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H949-H952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMENDING PENTAGON RENOVATION PROGRAM

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 368) commending the great work that the Pentagon 
Renovation Program and its contractors have completed thus far, in 
reconstructing the portion of the Pentagon that was destroyed by the 
terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 368

       Whereas the Pentagon was struck by a horrible act of 
     terrorism on September 11, 2001, taking the lives of 125 
     employees at the Pentagon and 64 hostages on a hijacked 
     airplane;
       Whereas a renovation effort, known as Phoenix Project, is 
     underway to restore the damaged portion of the Pentagon, and 
     is pushing to have Pentagon personnel back to work in that 
     portion of the building by September 11, 2002, just 1 short 
     year after the terrorist attack;
       Whereas, initially working 24 hours a day and 7 days each 
     week, the outstanding men and women of the Pentagon 
     Renovation Program have demonstrated the Nation's resolve and 
     know-how, and are 6 weeks ahead of schedule in the 
     reconstruction effort;
       Whereas the 400,000 square feet of demolition work, which 
     had to be completed before reconstruction work could begin, 
     was completed in just 1 month, when it was estimated to take 
     4 to 7 months for the job; and
       Whereas the renovation effort is comprised of 15 percent 
     government and 85 percent contracted personnel, and these 
     individuals have clearly dedicated themselves to making this 
     important institution whole again: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends the 
     great work that the Pentagon Renovation Program and its 
     contactors have completed thus far, in reconstructing the 
     portion of the Pentagon that was destroyed by the terrorist 
     attack of September 11, 2001.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie) 
each will control 20 minutes.

[[Page H950]]

  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).


                             General Leave

  Mr. Saxton. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 368, commending the 
great work that the Pentagon renovation program and its contractors 
have accomplished in swiftly repairing the Pentagon after the 
devastating attack of September 11, 2001. I thank our distinguished 
colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), for sponsoring this 
resolution.
  Shortly after the tragic event of September 11, I led a small 
delegation to visit the Pentagon. The devastation was truly appalling, 
and I was sure that a lengthy period would be required to repair such 
extensive damage. Of course, I am glad to report that I was wrong.
  The dedication and superhuman efforts of the Pentagon renovation 
program office and its contractors have defied all predictions in their 
ability to work miracles. The removal of the debris and restoration of 
the damaged area aptly called the Phoenix Project has amazed the world 
in the speed of its operation.
  The damaged wedge had been virtually renovated as part of the ongoing 
project to refurbish the Pentagon before the plane struck last 
September. Determined to finish the job and have people back at their 
desk by September 11 of this year, the dedicated team of government and 
contract employees went into immediate action. Work on the crash site 
was conducted around the clock for three months and is now down to a 
mere 20 hours a day. I understand that workers had to be forced to take 
time off for Christmas and have protested the cessation of the 24-hour 
day operations.
  The pace and skill of this reconstruction effort is truly a 
masterpiece of American ingenuity and effort and is a positive reaction 
to the evil of September 11 of last year.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. Speaker, all involved in this extraordinary effort deserve our 
deepest gratitude.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Military 
Installations and Facilities, I pay close attention to military 
construction projects. I have never seen one proceed at this pace and 
sincerely hope that there is never a reason to proceed at this pace 
again. But these intrepid souls have shown the world what American 
spirit and resolve are all about. Many have worked on this project and 
they are heroes, in my mind.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that Members will all support H. Res. 368, 
but, Mr. Speaker, let me just commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Foley) for his great efforts in bringing this resolution to us. It is 
something that I think is very worthwhile for us to note here in an 
official way today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 368, 
introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), as 
indicated by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), and endorsed 
by numerous other Members of the House. The resolution commends the 
outstanding progress made thus far by the Pentagon Renovation Program 
and its contractors in reconstructing the section of the Pentagon 
damaged by the terrorist attack.
  On September 11, 2001, Mr. Speaker, our Nation suffered four 
unprovoked terrorist attacks, three of which found their aim in two of 
our most powerful symbols of strength and democracy. Two days after the 
attacks, the Army asked the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), 
myself, and several other Members involved in the Subcommittee on 
Military Construction to visit the Pentagon site and survey the damage 
sustained there. Like the rest of the American public, we were stunned 
by the gash in what had previously seemed to be the impenetrable 
exterior of the Pentagon.
  What really caught our attention, though, was the work already under 
way. A small city of support was buzzing on the lawn. Firefighters were 
still battling flare-ups and hot spots, and military and civilian 
personnel were securing the building and sifting through the debris. No 
one was waiting to be told what to do. They were just doing what they 
knew needed to be done.
  The Pentagon Renovation Program has exceeded every expectation. The 
American public realized the significance of healing this visible wound 
as soon as possible, and the Phoenix Project has made it a reality. 
Government and contract personnel put their shoulders to the wheel, at 
times laboring around the clock, to tear down the most severely damaged 
sections and to rebuild it from the ground up. Demolition was supposed 
to take 7 or 8 months, Mr. Speaker. The team completed it in 1 month 
and 1 day. That is the power of American resolve.
  I have the utmost confidence that the Renovation Program will meet 
its ultimate goal to have people back at their desks by September 10, 
2002. There could be no greater tribute to those who lost their lives 
than to know that the men and women of the Department of Defense are 
once again doing the business of the country from their proper Pentagon 
offices.
  Mr. Speaker, let us honor these Americans, public workers and private 
citizens, willing to dedicate themselves to the rebuilding of our 
national morale.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Foley).
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time and, thus, giving me the opportunity to praise so many fabulous 
and phenomenal workers at the Pentagon.
  I would first like to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), 
Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, for expediting this 
important resolution. The Committee worked especially quickly with the 
staff from the Pentagon to move this resolution forward, House 
Resolution 368, for which I know all of us are grateful. Within 48 
hours, 70-plus colleagues on both sides of the aisle quickly joined me 
in saluting the men and women at the Pentagon.
  Mr. Speaker, anyone who has driven by the Pentagon recently has been 
a firsthand witness to the amazing determination and depth of the 
American spirit. That spirit is embodied in all the workers who are 
resurrecting the Pentagon in a reconstruction project aptly named 
Project Phoenix. Just 6 short months ago, terrorists attempted to 
attack and raze a symbol of America. They found they could barely 
scratch the surface.
  From the individuals who immediately responded to the attack 
delivering triage, to the many people affected by the explosion, to the 
ongoing efforts of Project Phoenix, America's resolve and strength are 
clear and evident. Anyone who has seen the Pentagon lately has seen a 
miracle of reconstruction, and behind that miracle are all the workers 
who have clearly taken hold of this project, showing the world that 
what evil tries to destroy can be rebuilt stronger, bigger, and better.
  It is as clear as the Pentagon itself that these workers are adding 
more than bricks and mortar to this cherished building; they are 
leaving an imprint of their dedication that rose from the ashes of 
September 11. Starting almost immediately after the attack, workers 
labored 24 hours a day to clear the area of over 400,000 square feet of 
debris, a project they completed amazingly in only a little more than 1 
month. They are now 6 weeks ahead of schedule, with an ever-visible 
goal in site.
  Above the construction site on the building is a clock counting down 
to September 11, 2002. The workers made a commitment that they would 
have Pentagon employees working back at their desks in the outer ring 
of the Pentagon by September 11, 2002. And as that clock counts down, 
it is a constant reminder of the importance of this work.

[[Page H951]]

  Mr. Speaker, what these workers have displayed is a deep, true 
dedication that cannot be feigned. It must come from within. And it for 
that dedication that I introduced this resolution and received such 
overwhelming support from my colleagues. I know others will speak 
today: the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Davis), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), and 
others joining us on the House floor today. We invite everyone on 
Thursday, at 1 p.m., to the Pentagon for a formal presentation of this 
proclamation.
  One more word, Mr. Speaker, and I know that the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) know 
this personally, we have spent a lot of time talking about the tragedy 
in New York, and at times I feel we have actually slighted those brave 
men and women who were killed in the ashes of this devastation just a 
short mile and a half from this complex. I salute their families as 
well and the memory of those loved ones lost, and just want to assure 
them that every person's life that was taken by terrorists will never 
be forgotten. While we salute the tremendous accomplishments of the men 
and women on the construction site, let us not leave this floor without 
spending a moment to commemorate those brave men and women who serve us 
daily in uniform, those who lost their lives, who never returned home, 
but stood vigil over this great Nation of ours.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran), who is representing the Pentagon here today, as 
it resides in his district.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague 
from Hawaii for yielding me this time, and I thank my friends and 
colleagues, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) and the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), as well as all those involved in this 
resolution.
  Since the Pentagon is in my congressional district, it would be 
tempting to take credit for the extra $1.1 billion that we added to the 
supplemental appropriations bill last year to make this possible, but 
in fact, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) and the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), the chairman and ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations, do deserve 
recognition for making this request a priority. But I know that they 
would agree that the most deserved credit, as the resolution says, goes 
to the tireless work of the men and women charged with the actual 
rebuilding of the Pentagon.
  On September 11, a day forever to be marked in infamy in United 
States history, one of our Nation's historic landmarks and the 
operational center of the world's most powerful military was struck by 
the evils of international terrorism. This heinous act caught us by 
surprise; however, in the days that followed, our steely resolve 
triggered an overwhelming military response and an unprecedented effort 
to rebuild our defiled monument.
  Titled the Phoenix Project, the renovation of the Pentagon is an 
ongoing demonstration of U.S. technological and civil engineering 
advances. It is in operation 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, consists of 
construction shifts running from 6:30 a.m. until 2:30 in the morning, 
from the early hours before daybreak until long after the sun sets. 
These American workers are demonstrating our Nation's collective 
resolve to rise from the ashes and go forward undeterred in our efforts 
to wipe out the terrorist threat.
  While the renovation is running like a well-oiled machine, its 
success could not be maintained without the dedication and deep-seated 
devotion of the work crews responsible for its execution. As a 
testament to their efficient labors, the demolition, slated for 
completion in 7 months, the demolition, was incredibly finished in just 
1 month. The blood, sweat and, undoubtedly, tears shed by these 
hardworking individuals is a true example of America's work ethic and 
ingenuity.
  The purpose of this resolution, as I know my friend from Florida (Mr. 
Foley) would agree, is simply to take a moment from our day to salute 
these patriots. We proudly stand to honor their efforts and wait in 
anticipation for the 1-year anniversary of September 11 when the 
culmination of their labor will come to fruition and America's living 
monument to its military superiority will be whole again and built 
stronger than ever.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time and for having this resolution come to the floor of the House. I 
rise in strong support for House Resolution 368.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) for 
introducing the resolution, which I am proud to be a cosponsor of. The 
resolution commends the efforts of the many individuals and 
organizations that have done a remarkable job at the Pentagon in the 
Pentagon renovation effort.
  The Phoenix Project is already 6 weeks ahead of schedule, as my 
colleagues heard, and demolition work that was supposed to take 7 
months has taken only 1. The crew, made up of government workers and 
contractor personnel, has built the skeleton for the outer ring in just 
6 months and is on schedule to be open again by this coming September 
11. How remarkable.
  I also want to mention the efforts of AMEC. This is a design and 
construction company in my district, Montgomery County, Maryland, for 
the work they have done during this renovation. They actually were 
responsible for the wedge-one renovations that were basically completed 
right before September 11. AMEC has now been leading the efforts in 
refurbishing wedge one, and I applaud their work.
  Specifically, I want to thank their wonderful team: Brett Eaton, Dave 
Coffman, Karl Johnson, John Macenczak, William Rock Viner, Greg Vachon, 
Sing Banh, Eric Sin, Michael Palumbo, Shaul Kopyto, David Conner, Avis 
Woods, David Clint, and Claude Bernier. These individuals, as well as 
hundreds of others who have worked tirelessly since September 11, 
deserve commendation, and I hope that all Members of this House will 
support this in this very important resolution.
  Yes, I toured the Pentagon several days after September 11, and I 
look forward to being at the presentation of this resolution at the 
Pentagon on Thursday, March 21, to say thanks.
  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
prior to yielding back the balance of my time, because I would just 
like to say that the folks who are rebuilding the Pentagon are setting 
a great example for the rest of America and the rest of the world. But 
I think it is equally important today that we do not forget the 
thousands of other people who are involved in activities that are 
related to the attack on the Pentagon.
  Obviously, there were people who lost their lives on September 11 and 
in the following days, and there are people involved today at the 
Pentagon who are not involved in the rebuilding effort. There are 
people involved in other Federal agencies around the world, and there 
are U.S. troops in places like Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and in 
Yemen, in Georgia; and there are Marines standing at their posts at 
embassies all around the world.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. Speaker, these people are all people who deserve a great deal of 
credit. But today we choose to single out one group of people who are 
setting an example of American resolve. That resolve, however, is 
shared by those I just mentioned and many others. So let the word go 
out to the terrorists and the would-be terrorists that we are here and 
we take note of what has occurred during the last 6 months. They should 
take note, as well, about how serious we are.
  Mr. Speaker, the men and women who are rebuilding the Pentagon are an 
example of that, but they are not the only example of that. We thank 
them for what they are doing, and I again pay my great thanks to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) for bringing this resolution to us 
today. We look forward to joining the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Foley) in the presentation that will take place in the next day or so.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House 
Resolution 368.

[[Page H952]]

  My Congressional District, the 10th of Virginia, lost nearly 30 
people at the Pentagon to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This 
resolution commends the Phoenix Project which is the ongoing effort at 
the Pentagon to rebuild the damaged section by September 11, 2002. Like 
the Phoenix which rose out of the ashes, the project is running on 
schedule because Phoenix team members are working around the clock, 6 
days per week, to bring the Pentagon back from the ``ashes.'' It is 
those workers today who we congratulate and thank.
  The reconstruction of the Pentagon will rebuild the damaged building 
and also help heal emotional wounds. It also sends a message to the 
terrorists that America cannot be defeated. Our ideals and freedoms 
will not waiver in the face of terrorism.
  I am honored to be speaking in support of this resolution. It is 
important that we not forget the courage and bravery of all those 
affected by the events of September 11.
  I urge your unanimous support for this resolution to honor those 
brave Americans who died on September 11 and to thank those workers who 
are rebuilding the Pentagon.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and 
pride that I rise today to pay tribute to the men and women who have 
worked so hard to rebuild the Nation's military headquarters and a 
national icon.
  Although born out of tragedy, the current reconstruction project 
represents an opportunity to memorialize permanently and prominently 
our Nation's history of resilience in the face of adversity. I 
congratulate the workers and contractors who are ahead of schedule in 
repairing the huge hole blown out of the Pentagon on Tuesday, September 
11, 2001, by a terrorist-hijacked airliner.
  The efforts of those involved in reconstruction have enabled the 
Pentagon to get back to business--waging war in Central Asia and 
destroying those networks responsible for the terrorist attacks in 
Washington, New York, and Pennsylvania. The demolition of the wounded 
section took only 1 month and a day to complete, aided by 24-hour days, 
7 days a week and landfills that stayed open all night. Weary workers 
celebrated the day they finished, November 19, by placing a Christmas 
tree on the Pentagon's roof. It marked a turning point toward the 
positive: they would stop tearing down and start building up.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to congratulate the crews at 
the Pentagon who have toiled tirelessly for more than 3 months now, 
trying to fix what was broken, replace what was destroyed, and put back 
together a meticulous, 20-year, $1.2-billion renovation effort that was 
already well along at the time of the attack.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 368.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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