[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 4, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6016-H6018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THOMAS E. BURNETT, JR. POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5207) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 6101 West Old Shakopee Road in Bloomington,
Minnesota, as the ``Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post Office Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 5207
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. THOMAS E. BURNETT, JR. POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 6101 West Old Shakopee Road in
Bloomington, Minnesota, shall be known and designated as the
``Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post Office
Building.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
General Leave
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H.R. 5207.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5207, introduced by our distinguished colleague,
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad), designates the postal
facility located at 6101 West Old Shakopee Road in Bloomington,
Minnesota, as the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post Office Building.
Tom Burnett grew up in the Minnesota-St. Paul suburb of Bloomington
in the district of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad). He woke
up on the morning of September 11, 2001, and headed to Newark
International for a morning flight. Tom was returning home to San
Ramon, California, following a business meeting in New Jersey. He
boarded United Flight 93 bound for San Francisco, settled into seat 4C,
and prepared for the nearly 3,000-mile flight.
Almost 1 hour into Flight 93's journey, the plane turned around.
Shortly thereafter, Tom called his wife Deena and told her that his
plane had been taken over by four men. Tom told his wife that he and
two other passengers were determined to do something to take Flight 93
back.
Tom's wife replied that planes had already crashed into the World
Trade Center towers and the Pentagon that morning. Tom Burnett and a
few other passengers of Flight 93 overpowered the terrorists and
crashed the plane into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The
hijacked plane, apparently headed for Washington, may have been on its
way to crashing into this very building, this very building.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate our esteemed colleague, the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad), for introducing this measure that honors
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Tom Burnett was a man who personified the
American virtues of humility and bravery. I urge all
[[Page H6017]]
Members of this House to support the adoption of H.R. 5207.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5207, to designate the facility of the United
States Postal Service located at 6101 West Old Shakopee Road in
Bloomington, Minnesota, as the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post Office
Building, was introduced by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad)
on July 24, 2002.
As an American hero, Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. was a passenger on board
the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed outside of
Pittsburgh on September 11, 2001.
Thomas Burnett was among a group of passengers who decided to take
action against the terrorists who had hijacked Flight 93 with plans to
crash the plane in Washington, D.C.
Who was Mr. Burnett? He was 38 and a resident of San Ramon,
California, the senior vice president and chief operating officer of
Thoratec Corporation, a medical research and development company;
husband to Mrs. Deena Burnett; father of three young girls: Madison,
Halley, and Anna-Clair; the son of Thomas and Beverly Burnett, Sr.; and
brother to Martha O'Brien and Mary Margaret Burnett.
He was also a man of character who was able to contact his wife
during the terrible journey of Flight 93 and let her know that, and I
quote, ``A group of us are going to do something,'' and something they
did. That something was to make sure the hijackers did not hit a
populated area.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Burnett and others made a very heroic stand on
September 11, 2001. Together they took control of the plane and saved
many, many lives. They demonstrated leadership and courage, and deserve
to be recognized.
Accordingly, I urge the swift passage of this bill and commend my
colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad), for seeking to
honor Mr. Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., in this manner. He exemplified the
thought and the action that ``If it is to be, let it begin with me.''
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad), the introducer
of this legislation.
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from
Maryland (Mrs. Morella), for yielding time to me, for her assistance
with this legislation, and also for her kind tribute to Tom Burnett,
Jr.
I also thank my friend, the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. Davis), for
his tribute to Tom Burnett, Jr., and for his assistance with this
legislation as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true American hero. The
legislation before us, H.R. 5207, would rename the West Bloomington,
Minnesota, post office in my district in honor of Bloomington native
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., a true American hero.
I want to express my appreciation also to the chairman and my friend,
the gentleman from Indiana, and my friend, the ranking member, the
gentleman from California, as well as the majority leader, my friend,
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), for allowing this bill to come to
the floor so expeditiously so that we can pass it by September 11.
Mr. Speaker, I introduced this legislation at the request of
Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead and the Bloomington City Council, which
unanimously passed a resolution of support.
Most of us know the story of Tom Burnett, Jr., who was on board
United Flight 93 when it was hijacked by the terrorists on September
11. Tom, as the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) explained, was able
to reach his wife, Deena, on his cell phone and told her, ``We've got
to do something. I know we are all going to die. There are three of us
who are going to do something about it.''
Led by Tom Burnett, Jr., the passengers aboard United Flight 93
showed tremendous courage in taking on the evil terrorists who intended
to kill as many Americans as possible. As we all know, that plane
crashed in Pennsylvania, instead of hitting the terrorists' intended
target of this building, the United States Capitol, according to FBI
Director Mueller.
{time} 1600
We all owe a deep debt of gratitude to Tom Burnett, Jr., and the
other brave Americans on Flight 93. Tom Burnett was not even originally
scheduled to be on that fateful flight, I might add. And I will never
forget the words at Tom's funeral mass of long-time Burnett family
friend, Father Joe Slepicka, who said, ``Ancient history tells us God
seems to call the right people in the right time and place to do the
right things for the good of others.''
Mr. Speaker, God called Tom Burnett, Jr., and Tom did the right thing
for the good of others.
Tom Burnett grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, the son of Thomas and
Beverly Burnett, Sr. He was the quarterback of the Thomas Jefferson
High School football team and led his team to the State championship
game in 1980. Tom married Deena in 1992 and they have three beautiful
children, Madison, Halley and Anna-Clair. Tom was also a highly
successful business executive and had many other credits to his name.
Mr. Speaker, Tom Burnett, Jr., will always be remembered both as a
great and a good man who loved his family and loved America. As Tom,
Sr., said, ``There weren't many shades of gray in Tommy. He was loyal
to his country and loyal to his family and he knew right from wrong.''
The people of Bloomington, Minnesota, Tom Burnett's hometown, have
honored Tom's memory in several lasting ways. On the Friday after the
September 11 attacks, the Bloomington Jefferson High School football
team wore Tom's number 10 on their helmets. On this coming Thursday at
Bloomington Stadium when Jefferson plays crosstown rival Bloomington
Kennedy, Tom's jersey number will be retired. A memorial scholarship
fund has been established in Tom Burnett's honor, and a collection of
Tom's favorite books was placed in his former high school's media
center. A white oak tree was planted in Tom Burnett's honor in front of
his home church, St. Edward's Catholic Church in Bloomington, where Tom
was confirmed and where his funeral was held.
A large fieldstone was placed in front of the tree with the words
from the Book of John, Chapter 15, verse 13, ``There is no greater love
than to lay down one's life for one's friend.'' Mr. Speaker, that says
it all about Tom Burnett, Jr.
Tom's ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by his family, his
community and his grateful Nation. Tom Burnett, Sr., fondly remembers a
conversation with his son on the 50th anniversary of the D-day invasion
in France when Tom, Jr., prophetically wondered out loud whether he,
Tom Burnett, Jr., would have had the same level of courage those
soldiers had during the invasion of Normandy Beach. On September 11,
Tom, Jr., was tested and he certainly showed that level of courage,
courage that inspires all of us today, courage of an American hero.
Our Nation owes a deep debt of gratitude for Tom Burnett's bravery on
September 11. Naming a post office in Tom Burnett's hometown in
Bloomington, Minnesota is one meaningful and lasting way Congress and
the President can honor his heroism and his memory. I urge my
colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation to
rename the West Bloomington Post Office the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. Post
Office.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. RAMSTAD. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend congratulations to
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) for this very important
resolution.
He mentioned the fact that Flight 93 was destined to come to this
building. And as we rapidly approach the anniversary of September 11,
we know that this Capitol dome is a symbol, not only here in the United
States, but to the entire world, of freedom. So the sacrifice that Tom
Burnett and the others on Flight 93 made is something that is very,
very worth recognizing, and I think that naming this post office is a
very appropriate effort that the gentleman has put into place here. And
I would simply like to congratulate my friend for what he has done
here.
[[Page H6018]]
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from
California, my friend, the chairman of the Committee on Rules, for his
very, very kind and thoughtful remarks.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to thank the gentleman
from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) for his moving tribute and for introducing
this legislation. We do believe it is quite appropriate, in a very
small way, as a matter of fact, to dedicate and name this post office
for Tom Burnett who is a hero to all of us. So I ask adoption of this
measure by this House.
Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5207, a
bill to designate a post office in Bloomington, Minnesota, as the
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., Post Office Building. This legislation reflects
the spirit of the American people in the aftermath of last year's
terrorist attacks, to honor a man that we know to be a hero, who used
the last few precious minutes of his own life to save the lives of so
many others. I am fortunate to have been able to serve Tom Burnett as
his U.S. Representative.
The American people will forever remember Thomas Burnett as a hero.
But to his wife, parents, three daughters and loved ones, he was a man
of courage and strength long before September 11, 2001.
Tom Burnett grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, as a child who loved
sports and the outdoors. From fishing with his dad, to becoming the
star quarterback in high school, Tom was the image of an athlete and
the all-American guy. After studying at the Air Force Academy and later
graduating from Pepperdine University, he went on to become a senior
executive of a company that makes medical devices.
Then, on September 11, the all-American guy became the all-American
hero. Thomas Burnett and others aboard made the decision to take down
the plane somewhere above Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, after
learning of the fates of the three hijacked aircraft.
That morning, Tom Burnett called his wife Deena repeatedly, pumping
her for information. Later, it was no surprise to her that Tom led the
effort to bring the plane down before it could take more lives.
But the result was that thanks to the bravery of people like Tom
Burnett, countless innocent lives were saved, including our own, and
our nation's Capitol was spared.
Many believe terrorists were going to use the fourth plane, Flight
93, as a weapon to crash into another site in Washington, DC. Whether
it was the United States Capitol Building or the White House, we will
never know.
This was the ultimate act of bravery and sacrifice from the
passengers and crew of United Flight 93, and those who enter our
nation's Capitol each day should cherish their valiance.
As the day approaches that will mark the first anniversary of the
terrorist attacks, we should all step back for a moment to remember why
it may be that our nation's Capitol still stands today, or why the
White House remains untouched.
It was because of the courage of Tom Burnett and others, truly among
the great heroes of our nation.
There may never be answers for all the questions that surround the
events of September 11, 2001, or closure for all of those around the
world who suffered the loss of loved ones in this tragedy.
But it is in our power to make sure that we appropriately honor
Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., and our other fellow Americans who suddenly
became heroes on September 11. Let us thank and remember him by passing
this legislation.
Mrs. MORELLA. 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 gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5207.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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