[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                           9/11 MEMORIAL ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 2016

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of The National 9/
11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act. This legislation would 
designate the site of the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center as a 
national memorial--providing it the national recognition and support it 
deserves as a lasting symbol of the lives we lost and the resilience 
with which our nation came together and pledged to emerge stronger in 
search of a more peaceful world.
  Like many New Yorkers, I know and have felt firsthand the lasting 
impacts of September 11, 2001. Among the almost 3,000 lives we lost 
that day was that of my cousin, John Moran, a second-generation 
firefighter and FDNY Battalion Chief. Not a day goes by that I don't 
think of my cousin and of the thousands of family members and loved 
ones we lost that day. But I also bear in mind each day the vow we made 
as a nation to never forget what happened and to protect the spirit of 
camaraderie that emerged from the attacks.
  The 9/11 Memorial serves as a place where we can remember and honor 
the brave lives we lost, as well as that spirit of unity and overcoming 
with which we moved forward as a nation. Because of the place the 
events of September 11, 2001 hold in our collective national history, 
the federal government should play a role in preserving this space and 
keeping what it represents at the forefront of our collective memory. 
By recognizing the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center as a 
national memorial, federal resources will be available to ensure the 
maintenance, security and accessibility of this site so that all people 
will have the opportunity to remember and honor our heroes. It is our 
duty to ensure that this sacred site and tribute receives the national 
upkeep and recognition it deserves.
  September 11th changed our lives as individuals and as Americans. We 
must actively seek to remind our nation of the resolution and sacrifice 
of the survivors, the victims, their families, and of our first 
responders. And we must also enshrine the courage and strength with 
which we stood up to hatred. Acting in a bipartisan manner to designate 
the 9/11 Memorial as a national memorial is an important step in this 
direction.

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