[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO WTC WORKERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2002

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the heroic people who have 
dedicated so much to the clean up of the ``Ground Zero''. I am pleased 
that the House passed H. Res. 424 to bring recognition to their 
sacrifice.
  No one will ever forget the horrible events of the morning of 
September 11, 2001. It seems like just yesterday that I could look 
across the river from my district in Brooklyn and see those two 
glimmering towers watching over the city. In the course of a few hours, 
those symbols of strength and comfort would turn into over three 
thousand innocent lives lost and a pile of over 1.6 million tons of 
torn and twisted metal.
  From the moment the towers were felled, hundreds of thousands of 
volunteers and professionals rushed to the scene without regard to 
their personal well-being. Many of those people stayed at the site for 
days with barely a moment's rest. They were only interested in doing 
whatever they could to help in the recovery effort. There was no 
thought of rest or personal safety as workers looked for potential 
survivors in the devastated area that we have come to know as ``Ground 
Zero''. Many workers remained on site without any respiratory equipment 
despite fires burning and toxic fumes surrounding them. After it became 
clear that it would not be possible to find anyone else alive, the 
workers remained on site as the search evolved from a rescue and 
recovery effort into a clean-up effort. Throughout the long hard work, 
the workers remained committed to their work and showing the families 
of the victims the respect that they deserve. Every victim that was 
pulled out of the devastation was given a ceremonial burial.
  Mr. Speaker, the workers who have spent the last nine months at the 
WTC-site helped bring our country together. They showed all Americans 
how important it is to come together, and America responded. People 
from all across this great nation volunteered and donated whatever was 
requested. Our country was unified against a common enemy and for a 
common purpose. There is no way to repair the damage that was caused to 
our national psyche or our City's glory on September 11. But the hard 
work and dedication of the ``ground zero workers'' has given us all 
hope for the future and an understanding of what is necessary to 
overcome our enemies. As the clean-up operations draw to a close on May 
30, 2002, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring these truly 
heroic people who have given so much in the name of their fallen 
comrades and our national honor.

                          ____________________