[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 111 (Friday, July 22, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4836-S4837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 237 which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the title of the 
resolution.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 237) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate regarding coming together as a Nation and ceasing all 
     work or other activity for a moment of remembrance beginning 
     at 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on September 11, 2011, in 
     honor of the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks 
     committed against the United States on September 11, 2001.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the Senate will proceed to 
the measure.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I further 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 measure be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 237) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 237

       Whereas at 8:46 AM, on September 11, 2001, hijacked 
     American Airlines Flight 11 crashed 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 at 9:37 AM, the west wall of the Pentagon was hit 
     by hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, the impact of which 
     caused immediate and catastrophic damage to the headquarters 
     of the Department of Defense;
       Whereas at approximately 10:00 AM, 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 tens of thousands of individuals narrowly escaped 
     the attacks at the Pentagon and World Trade Center and, as 
     witnesses to this tragedy, are forever changed;
       Whereas countless fire departments, police departments, 
     first responders, governmental officials, workers, emergency 
     medical personnel, and volunteers responded immediately and 
     heroically to those horrific events;
       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 in a single day;
       Whereas the New York Police Department suffered 23 
     fatalities as a result of the terrorist attacks;
       Whereas the impact of that day on public health continues 
     through 2011, as nearly 90,000 people are at risk of or 
     suffering from negative health effects as a result of the 
     events of September 11, 2001, including 14,000 workers and 
     2,400 community residents who are sick, and tens of thousands 
     of others whose health is being monitored;
       Whereas 10 years later, the people of the United States and 
     people around the world continue to mourn the tremendous loss 
     of innocent life on that fateful day;
       Whereas 10 years later, thousands of men and women in the 
     United States Armed Forces remain in harm's way defending the 
     United States against those who seek to threaten the United 
     States;
       Whereas on the 10th anniversary of this tragic day, the 
     thoughts of the people of the United States are with all of 
     the victims of the events of September 11, 2001, and their 
     families;
       Whereas the lives of Americans were changed forever on 
     September 11, 2001, when events threatened the American way 
     of life;
       Whereas in December 2001, Congress and the President joined 
     together to designate September 11 as Patriot Day (Public Law 
     107-89);
       Whereas in September 2002, and each September thereafter 
     through September 2008, President Bush issued Proclamations 
     7590, 7702, 7812, 7929, 8047, 8174, and 8286 (67 Fed. Reg. 
     57125; 68 Fed. Reg. 53013; 69 Fed. Reg. 55717; 70 Fed. Reg. 
     54467; 71 Fed. Reg. 53959; 72 Fed. Reg. 51553; 73 Fed. Reg. 
     52773) proclaiming September 11 of that year, respectively, 
     as Patriot Day;
       Whereas in 2009, Congress and the President joined together 
     to designate September 11 as a National Day of Service and 
     Remembrance under the Serve America Act (Public Law 111-13; 
     123 Stat. 1460);
       Whereas in September 2009 and 2010, President Obama issued 
     Proclamation 8413 (74 Fed. Reg. 47045) and Proclamation 8559 
     (75 Fed. Reg. 56463) proclaiming September 11, 2009, and 
     September 11, 2010, respectively, as Patriot Day and National 
     Day of Service and Remembrance; and
       Whereas September 11 will never, and should never, be just 
     another day in the hearts and minds of all people of the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes September 11, 2011, as a day of solemn 
     commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001, and a day 
     to come together as a Nation;
       (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 those 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, homeland security and 
     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 the security of the United 
     States;
       (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 the United States; and
       (6) on the 10th anniversary of this tragic day in United 
     States history--
       (A) calls upon all of the people and institutions of the 
     United States to observe a moment of remembrance on September 
     11, 2011, including--
       (i) media outlets;
       (ii) houses of worship;
       (iii) military organizations;
       (iv) veterans organizations;
       (v) airlines;
       (vi) airports;
       (vii) railroads;
       (viii) sports teams;
       (ix) the Federal Government;
       (x) State and local governments;
       (xi) police, fire, and other public institutions;
       (xii) educational institutions;
       (xiii) businesses; and
       (xiv) other public and private institutions; and
       (B) encourages the observance of the moment of remembrance 
     or prayer to last for 1 minute beginning at 1:00 PM Eastern 
     Daylight Time by, to the maximum extent practicable--
       (i) ceasing all work or other activity; and
       (ii) marking the moment in an appropriate manner, including 
     by ringing bells, blowing whistles, or sounding sirens.

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be 
permitted to speak for up to 15 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, there are so many things here we can 
disagree about, but I wish to say thank you to all of my colleagues. 
One hundred of us have joined together in overwhelming numbers to 
support this historic legislation which creates a national moment of 
remembrance to commemorate the tragedy of 9/11.
  Few events, if any, have done more to change the course of American 
history as much as the horrifying terrorist attacks on September 11, 
2001--nearly 10 years ago. It was one of the worst days in American 
history on our soil--a day that placed a permanent cloud over America 
and the free world. Few, if any, Americans can forget where they were 
that fateful Tuesday morning when our country was gripped with shock 
and disbelief and it felt as though our world had turned upside down.
  I was traveling at the time. I was in the Middle East. When the news 
came that an airplane struck the trade towers, the first conclusion I 
came to was it was a stray airplane from a nearby airfield, and that 
was it. But the news

[[Page S4837]]

kept coming, and people in the streets of the city I was in were 
tearing at the terrible news about what happened to America.
  Almost 3,000 people, including more than 700 people from my own State 
of New Jersey, were brutally massacred in that attack. That is more 
American lives lost than on D-day when thousands of Americans stormed 
Normandy.
  Many of the victims were hard at work. On a typical weekday, 50,000 
people worked in the Twin Towers, with another 200,000 passing through 
as visitors. It is impossible to believe that these towering 
facilities, with their huge infrastructure, could be burned, melted, 
and brought to the ground. Many of the people who lost their lives lost 
them saving others, including 343 firefighters, 60 police officers, and 
other first responders, as they answered the call of others who 
desperately needed their help. Some became heroes that day, such as 
those on United Flight 93, who took on the hijackers who were in the 
aisles to try and bring that airplane to its target. But the people 
stood up and fought against them--heroes, brave and courageous--to 
prevent that airplane from reaching its intended target.
  Tragically, a decade after the Twin Towers fell, the toll of 9/11 is 
still climbing. More than 85,000 first responders, cleanup workers, and 
community residents are dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy. 
There are victims who are being monitored or receiving medical 
treatment after breathing the toxic fumes and the dust at Ground Zero.
  As we all know, the wounds that came from 9/11 are not just physical. 
witnesses of the tragedy saw people jumping from high stories of the 
buildings because they could no longer stand the heat, the smoke. The 
witnesses of the tragedy, the thousands of survivors who narrowly 
escaped the attacks, and the families of the victims who will never see 
their loved ones again still bear the scars of that awful day.
  Life changed in countless ways for all Americans on September 11, 
affecting every move we make. All of us are reminded of 9/11's legacy 
almost every day as we wait in line to present our ID when we travel, 
go to work, or when we hear news of further attempts on the lives of 
Americans.
  There are approximately 50,000 baggage checkers and screeners working 
every day to keep us safe at airports across the country. In fact, the 
Federal Department of Homeland Security--created in the wake of 9/11--
has more than 230,000 employees and spends more than $40 billion each 
year protecting us from similar onslaughts.
  As is Pearl Harbor, 9/11 can be described as a day that will live in 
infamy. With Pearl Harbor, with all of its pain and sacrifice, an end 
to that conflict finally came and normalcy was restored to our country 
after some years. But our enemy today continues its search for ways to 
bring pain and suffering to Americans. They keep searching for 
technology and weapons, and 10 years later we are still fighting them.
  As we near the 10th anniversary of 9/11, it is important for us to 
remember what brought us to this point. That is why I am so proud and 
grateful to see the Senate unanimously approve this legislation, 
which--as we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11--calls on our 
country to pause on September 11 for a moment of remembrance. What is 
planned is that at 1 p.m. eastern time that day, all Americans will be 
called upon to cease all work and activity and spend a moment in 
silence reflecting on what happened on 9/11, 2001. Our local, State, 
and national institutions--from sports teams and railroads to 
broadcasters and places of worship--will be called upon to mark this 
minute with church bells or sirens to recall the honor of those 
victims. This will be a striking symbol of American solidarity, 
signaling to the world that we remain united against those who threaten 
our freedom. It will also be a powerful nationwide expression of 
America's patriotic spirit and our refusal to forget the thousands of 
innocent lives we lost in the destruction of 9/11.
  Many of us recall the love of country we experienced in the days and 
weeks and months after the attacks in 2001. During that period, it 
seemed as though everywhere we turned, we saw an American flag. As a 
nation, we were willing to set aside our differences to mourn our 
losses and mourn the losses of friends and acquaintances and neighbors, 
and we decided to work together to defeat those who threaten our way of 
life. I believe the national moment of remembrance can help us 
recapture that spirit of unity and remind everyone how strong we are 
when we stand together.
  I thank my colleagues for the outpouring of support for this 
legislation and hope they will be able to encourage their constituents 
to participate in this moment of remembrance. Every Member of the 
Senate joined together as cosponsors to create this moment of 
remembrance, representing all political views in every corner of this 
great Nation. We want everybody to participate, including State and 
local governments, the military, veterans organizations, the news 
media, houses of worship, and sports teams.
  The 9/11 Moment of Remembrance will be a way to pay tribute to the 
lives lost and forever changed by the events in Pennsylvania, the 
Pentagon, and at Ground Zero. Let there be no doubt: 9/11 changed our 
country forever, and a tragedy of this magnitude demands memory and 
vigilance. As a nation, we must keep alive the memories of the many 
courageous Americans we lost that day. We must be vigilant on behalf of 
the thousands of families who suffered incalculable losses--losses that 
must never be forgotten. During the past decade, through our pain and 
sorrow has come the realization that this vigilance must be maintained 
so nothing like that can happen again.
  So once again I say thank you to my colleagues for supporting this 
measure. It will send a powerful signal to the rest of the world and 
remind us how strong America is when we all stand together.
  With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor, and note the absence of 
a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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