Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)

[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1496-H1498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

HONORING UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE FOR
EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE DURING AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER
11, 2001

Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 384) honoring the men and women of the United
States Secret Service New York field office for their extraordinary
performance and commitment to service during and immediately following
the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Res. 384

Whereas the United States Secret Service New York field
office located in 7 World Trade Center was destroyed on
September 11, 2001, as a result of terrorist attacks;
Whereas, throughout the day of the attacks and subsequent
days, the men and women of the New York field office
continually and knowingly placed themselves in exceptional
danger in their efforts to save life;
Whereas, in selfless dedication to others, Master Special
Officer Craig Miller was lost in the collapse of the World
Trade Center;
Whereas, subsequent to the terrorist attacks, the men and
women of the United States Secret Service New York field
office worked tirelessly to re-establish critical field
office operations and assist State and local public safety
officials; and
Whereas the United States Secret Service performs a
critical role in the protection of freedom, and these acts
represent a dedication to duty in the highest traditions of
the Department of the Treasury and the United States of
America: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors the continuing service and commitment of the men
and women assigned to the United States Secret Service, New
York field office;
(2) recognizes the critical importance of the United States
Secret Service to our national security; and
(3) supports providing the necessary resources to ensure
the full operation of the New York field office and the
mission of the Secret Service.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Idaho (Mr. Otter) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter).

General Leave

Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on House Resolution 384.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Idaho?
There was no objection.
Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time that I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House
Resolution 384 introduced by my distinguished colleague, the gentleman
from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook). I commend him for sponsoring this important
resolution.
This resolution honors the men and the women of the United States
Secret Service New York field office for their extraordinary
performance and commitment to service during and following the
September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Madam Speaker, Building 7 of the World Trade Center housed a number
of Federal Government offices, including the IRS, the EEOC, the Defense
Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the New York
field office of the United States Secret Service. The field office was
destroyed on September 11 and, tragically, Master Special Officer Craig
Miller lost his life when the building collapsed.
Master Special Officer Miller was at the Marriott Hotel that morning
when the hotel was evacuated. Master Special Officer Miller had a
military background and extensive emergency medical training. It is
believed that he went back into the towers to help the wounded.
His courage in the face of danger was extraordinary and typifies the
hundreds of men and women who put themselves in danger to help others
on that horrific day. Master Special Officer Miller and his actions
reflect a proud tradition of selfless service to our Nation by the
United States Secret Service.
Madam Speaker, our Nation will never forget the horror of September
11, but neither will we forget the heroism of so many on that terrible
day. Today we recognize the commitment of the men and women of the
Secret Service New York field office.
Within 48 hours of attacks, this New York field office was fully
operational. A remarkable achievement, Madam Speaker. The office was
completely destroyed, but within two days it was up and running again
and fighting the war on terrorism. The Electronic Crimes Task Force, a
division of the New York

[[Page H1497]]

field office, with the cooperation of the business community, restored
wireless communications and computer network capabilities.
The challenges, Madam Speaker, were only just beginning, for the
President of the United States was to schedule a visit to that site.
The United Nations General Assembly was weeks away from commencing its
activities, and there were ongoing criminal investigations that needed
to be continued.
Madam Speaker, we honor the employees of the New York field office of
the Secret Service today because of their integrity, their tireless
energy, and their dedication in serving the citizens of the United
States and of New York City.
The Secret Service is currently occupying office space at the John
Jay College and the Penn Station Post Office. They have earned our
gratitude and whatever resources are necessary to continue their
protective and criminal investigative missions.
Madam Speaker, I ask all Members to support this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

{time} 1415

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Idaho in
consideration of this resolution honoring the men and women of the
United States Secret Service, New York field office, for their
extraordinary performance and commitment to service during and
immediately following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center
on September 11, 2001.
Madam Speaker, the United States Secret Service is mandated by the
United States Congress to carry out two distinct and significant
missions: protection and criminal investigations. One of the Nation's
oldest Federal investigative law enforcement agencies, the Secret
Service was founded in 1865 as a branch of the United States Treasury.
Its original mission was to investigate counterfeiting of U.S.
currency.
Though the Secret Service's primary mission is to protect the
President and Vice President, and the Nation's financial system, on
September 11, 2001, these men and women placed themselves in harm's way
to protect the ordinary citizen. They did so after their offices in the
World Trade Center were destroyed and after losing one of their own,
Master Special Officer Craig Miller.
The New York field office's tireless work to reestablish critical
field office operations and assist State and local public safety
officials after their attacks is a testament to the Secret Service's
commitment to the City of New York and to the American people.
We often think of the Secret Service as a Washington-based
organization that protects the President, heads of state, the White
House, and other national treasuries in the District of Columbia. Now
we know that the Secret Service is present in cities all over the
country and is ready to serve and protect all of us at a moment's call.
So I join with my colleague in urging total support for this
resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his
generosity in yielding me this time, and I rise in strong support of
this resolution.
Being a Secret Service employee is special. It is a job that requires
a very special kind of person, a person that would be held to a higher
standard than others, and a person who we depend upon to protect our
Nation's leaders, our communities, and our Nation's financial systems.
On September 11, the images of heroes that we all remember were of
first responders, like firefighters and New York City Police Department
officers. Within the masses, however, were special people that we may
not have noticed, and some were the men and women of the Secret
Service.
The Secret Service field office, as has been said, was located at
Number 7 World Trade Center, which was adjacent to the north and south
towers. For the second time since the World Trade bombing in 1993,
these men and women faced unusual challenges that tested their courage,
strength, dedication, and loyalty.
On September 11, like any other morning, most of the Secret Service
employees were either settling into their offices or still making their
way to work. Others were about to attend meetings to prepare for the
upcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. At 8:48 a.m.
their offices in Building 7 shook and the lights flickered. Most of
them stopped for a quick moment but quickly returned to their work.
However, after realizing that a plane had hit the north tower of the
World Trade Center, they very quickly went into an alert mode. Although
most other tenants started to evacuate the building, the men and women
of the Secret Service instinctively grabbed first aid trauma kits and
other emergency equipment.
Special Agent in Charge, Steve Carey, and other managers ran from one
floor to another, and room to room, to ensure that everyone was moving
to safety. Once outside, they saw the sky engulfed by flames and smoke.
Some of the agents ran into the north tower to assist in the evacuation
process. Others began to execute the emergency medical skills that they
had been trained to perform and set up small triage units on West
Street to assist the injured.
Tragically, as the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) has said, the
Secret Service lost an employee, Master Special Officer Craig Miller.
Officer Miller was on a temporary assignment in New York for the United
Nations General Assembly and was nearby at the Marriott Hotel when the
first plane hit the World Trade Center. Although the hotel was
evacuated, it appears that Officer Miller stayed behind to help.
Because of his military background and extensive emergency medical
training, those who knew Officer Miller believe his life was taken
while trying to assist the wounded. In fact, some of the medical
equipment was later found in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel that that
particular officer had in his possession.
Following September 11, the employees at the New York field office
knew that the hours and days ahead would be equally challenging. Not
only were they now without an office, but all of their equipment, all
of their equipment was destroyed with their building. However, with
strong support of other Secret Service offices within the region and
around the country, and other law enforcement assistance, they returned
to a readiness mode in 48 hours, as the ranking member has indicated,
an extraordinary achievement in and of itself. In fact, within 48 hours
of the attack, the Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force was able
to track the cell phone use of some of the terrorists involved in the
attack.
The men and women of the U.S. Secret Service have devoted, Madam
Speaker, their careers to protecting the lives of others, to protecting
the financial integrity of our Nation, to protecting the integrity of
our currency. Their level of bravery was no real surprise. Their
courageous efforts were simply an extension of what they had been
trained to perform at any given minute. They are deserving of this
honor and always worthy of trust and confidence.
Madam Speaker, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that ``the lives of
nations are determined not by the count of years but by the lifetime of
the human spirit. The life of a man,'' he said, ``is three score and
ten, a little more or a little less, but the life of a Nation is the
fullness of its will to live.'' How special are these agents that we
call Secret Service, how special are these people who themselves
represent the fullness of the will of a Nation to live and to succeed.
These patriots, Madam Speaker, these proud Americans demonstrated
that even under attack, the Nation stands strong; the human spirit
remains unbowed. I rise in strong support of this resolution and thank
the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), who was responsible in many
respects for its introduction; and I thank the members of the committee
for quickly processing this resolution which the gentleman from
Oklahoma and I and others will personally deliver to the

[[Page H1498]]

men and women of the Secret Service located in New York next week.
Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
to thank my colleague from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and my colleague from
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for their kind remarks and for recounting the
litany of heroic deeds of that tragic day in New York City.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), who has brought this to our attention in
the form of recognition and legislation.
Mr. ISTOOK. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and I will not duplicate some of the terrific details that were
recounted by my friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer); but I
do adopt them in praise of the men and women of the Secret Service and
the heroism that they displayed on September 11, 2001.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the very selfless efforts
of the men and women of the United States Secret Service, the New York
field office, on September 11, 2001, and the days that have followed
since then. It is difficult to separate oneself at a time like this, to
get beyond looking at the totality of the horrific events that occurred
so that we can examine individual acts of determination, of compassion,
and of courage. They are far more telling about the fate and future of
our country and how the fate and future will be bright because of this
determination, compassion, and courage. That is more telling about our
country's future than the damage that was inflicted by this evil.
There were a great many examples of selflessness and courage, as we
have heard, that occurred that day. They came from a multitude of
people, from a multitude of walks of life. I am focusing at the moment
on the Secret Service because, as chairman of the Subcommittee on
Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government of the Committee on
Appropriations, I have come to know them through the work that our
subcommittee does with them, and through the fortunate experience that
I have had of having several of the good people of the Secret Service
work in my personal congressional office on fellowship programs. I have
to say that while the resources we provide to them are important, there
is no substitute for the character and dedication that these
individuals bring to their efforts and to their mission.
On September 11, the Secret Service New York field office, which was
located in 7 World Trade Center, was destroyed by these terrorist
attacks. Throughout that day, throughout that night, there were
countless examples, as we have heard, of Secret Service employees
placing themselves at great risk to be of aid to others. Just one
example of heroism and dedication is Master Special Officer Craig
Miller, who was lost in the collapse of the World Trade Towers. It is
important that Craig Miller be remembered as an example of what is
truly important about this country.
We may never know exactly how Craig Miller died that day, but his
life provided many examples of the sterling character which
characterizes the people in the Secret Service of which we speak. That
day his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of others who were lost beside him
in serving others, inspires all of us as Americans to move ahead on the
course of freedom; to know that through dedication to duty, through
strength of character, and through selfless service to others freedom
will prevail.
The men and women of the Secret Service New York field office proved
themselves worthy of the trust and confidence that we have placed in
them. Throughout the hours and days that followed the attacks, they
tirelessly worked to reestablish critical field office operations and
also to assist State and local public safety officials.
The performance of the personnel in the New York field office on that
day and the days that followed represent a dedication to duty in the
highest traditions of the Department of the Treasury, of the United
States Secret Service, and of the United States of America.
Madam Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity to recognize their
service, and I urge adoption of this very important resolution.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume to associate myself with the remarks of all the
distinguished speakers and would urge passage of this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume;
and in closing, I would just like to reflect that the author of this
legislation was one whose district had witnessed such a terrible
disaster in the bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City, and
so it echoes of the patriotism that we saw there and we saw again in
New York City.
I would like to thank my colleagues who have come down here today to
honor the men and women of the Secret Service of the New York field
office. After September 11, they worked tirelessly to reestablish the
critical operations, as we have all heard, and undoubtedly that
contributed to the safety and the continuation of this great Nation and
equally important to the continuation of this great Republic.
Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join with those of us who have
spoken in favor of this resolution on the floor in support of this
resolution.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 384, honoring the
continuing service and commitment of the men and women assigned to the
United States Secret Service, New York field office.
On that horrible day on September 11th, the New York field office of
the U.S. Secret Service located in 7 World Trade Center was destroyed
as a result of the attacks. However, in the face of grave danger, the
men and women of the Secret Service valiantly and selflessly assisted
rescue workers at the scene in their efforts to save the thousands of
people working in the World Trade Center complex.
Our Nation witnessed the best and the worst of humanity that fateful
day. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon our Nation to honor those
heroes, be they here or departed. Accordingly, I urge my fellow
colleagues to support this important measure.
Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

{time} 1430

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 384.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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