[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 144 (Thursday, September 11, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 656, 
submitted earlier today by Senators Reid and McConnell.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 656) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate regarding the terrorist attacks committed against the 
     United States of America on September 11, 2001.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed 
in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 656) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 656

       Whereas at 8:46 AM on the morning of September 11, 2001, 
     hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into the upper 
     portion of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New 
     York City, New York;
       Whereas 17 minutes later, at 9:03 AM, hijacked United 
     Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World 
     Trade Center;
       Whereas the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the New 
     York Police Department (NYPD), the Port Authority Police 
     Department (PAPD), the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) 
     of the Mayor of New York, and countless eyewitnesses and 
     public health officials responded immediately and valiantly 
     to these horrific events;
       Whereas at 9:37 AM, the west wall of the Pentagon was hit 
     by hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, whose impact caused 
     immediate and catastrophic damage to the headquarters of the 
     Department of Defense;
       Whereas Pentagon officials, county fire, police, and 
     sheriff departments, the Metropolitan Washington Airports 
     Authority, the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Fire 
     Department, the Fort Myer Fire Department, the Virginia State 
     Police, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Emergency 
     Management Agency, a National Medical Response Team, the 
     Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and numerous 
     military personnel all responded promptly and courageously to 
     this attack on the United States military establishment;
       Whereas the passengers and crew of hijacked United Airlines 
     Flight 93 acted heroically to retake control of the airplane 
     and thwart the taking of additional American lives by 
     crashing the airliner in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and, in 
     doing so, gave their lives to save countless others;
       Whereas nearly 3,000 innocent civilians were killed in the 
     heinous attacks of September 11, 2001;
       Whereas the Fire Department of New York suffered 343 
     fatalities on September 11, 2001, the largest loss of life of 
     any emergency response agency in United States history;
       Whereas the Port Authority Police Department suffered 37 
     fatalities in the attacks, the largest loss of life of any 
     police force in United States history;
       Whereas the New York Police Department suffered 23 
     fatalities as a result of the terrorist attacks, the second 
     largest loss of life of any police force in United States 
     history, exceeded only by the number of Port Authority Police 
     Department officers lost that same day;
       Whereas seven years later, the people of the United States 
     of America and people around the world continue to mourn the 
     tremendous loss of innocent life on that fateful day; and
       Whereas seven years later, thousands of men and women in 
     the United States Armed Forces remain in harm's way defending 
     our Nation against those who seek to threaten the United 
     States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes September 11, 2008, as a day of solemn 
     commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001;
       (2) offers its deepest and most sincere condolences to the 
     families, friends, and loved ones of the innocent victims of 
     the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
       (3) honors the heroic service, actions, and sacrifices of 
     first responders, law enforcement personnel, State and local 
     officials, volunteers, and countless others who aided the 
     innocent victims of these attacks and, in doing so, bravely 
     risked and often gave their own lives;
       (4) recognizes the valiant service, actions, and sacrifices 
     of United States personnel, including members of the United 
     States Armed Forces, the United States intelligence agencies, 
     the United States diplomatic service, law enforcement 
     personnel, and their families, who have given so much, 
     including their lives and well-being, to support the cause of 
     freedom and defend our Nation's security; and
       (5) reaffirms that the people of the United States will 
     never forget the challenges our country endured on and since 
     September 11, 2001, and will work tirelessly to defeat those 
     who attacked our Nation.

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