[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 48 (Thursday, April 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1892-H1893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN SUPPORT OF FUNDING FOR THE FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL

  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time 
of the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the fallen 
American heroes on United Flight 93, heroes like Tom Burnett, Jr., from 
Minnesota, who put country ahead of self on September 11, 2001, as he 
made the ultimate sacrifice.
  Mr. Speaker, as we all know, Tom Burnett and the other brave American 
heroes that day overpowered the terrorist hijackers who sought to crash 
Flight 93 into the United States Capitol. America owes all the brave 
passengers on Flight 93 a deep debt of gratitude for the remarkable 
bravery.

[[Page H1893]]

  And, Mr. Speaker, those of us who work here in this building, in this 
Capitol, literally owe our lives to the heroes of United Flight 93.
  This week, as family members of the 33 passengers and seven crew of 
Flight 93 have been here on Capitol Hill, it is time to say ``yes'' to 
funding the Flight 93 National Memorial plan for the site in 
Pennsylvania where the plane ultimately crashed. Tom Burnett and the 
other brave passengers deserve this fitting memorial, and we should 
move ahead with the project immediately so the land can be secured.
  Mr. Speaker, I have been in frequent contact with Tom Burnett's 
parents, Tom, Sr., and Beverly Burnett, about the site and about the 
memorial. They have long expressed concern that this sacred ground was 
still in jeopardy of purchase by other parties and not properly 
protected.
  On that fateful day, on his last phone call to his wife, Deena, Tom 
Burnett said, and I am quoting, ``We have got to do something. I know 
we are all going to die. There's three of us who are going to do 
something about it.''
  Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what Tom Burnett and the other 
passengers of Flight 93 did. They stepped forward in an amazing show of 
patriotism and self-sacrifice. Now it is time for Congress to step 
forward and do something about it.
  Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely outrageous to continue to block this 
memorial to honor the heroic actions of the passengers of Flight 93. 
Let me repeat that: it is absolutely outrageous to continue to block 
this memorial to honor the heroic actions of the passengers on Flight 
93. It is time for Congress to come together and do what is right, just 
as the passengers of Flight 93 did what was right at the cost of their 
own lives.
  Mr. Speaker, we should live up to our commitment now. Flight 93 
family members have passionately explained to us again this week why 
the 1,200 acres are needed to properly tell the story of Flight 93. Now 
it is our turn to do our part.
  Tom Burnett, Jr., and the other heroes of Flight 93 showed us what 
bravery is all about. Now we need to step forward to honor their 
courageous legacy. We must never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by 
the passengers and crew of United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. 
Let's do the right thing. Let's do the honorable thing. Let's support 
full funding for the Flight 93 memorial.

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