[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 24017-24021]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS IN HONORING THE CREW AND PASSENGERS OF 
                       UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 232) expressing the sense of the 
Congress in honoring the crew and passengers of United Airlines Flight 
93.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 232

       Whereas on September 11, 2001, acts of war were committed 
     against the United States, killing and injuring thousands of 
     innocent people;
       Whereas these attacks were directed at the World Trade 
     Center in New York, New York, and the Pentagon in Washington, 
     D.C., which are symbols of the Nation's economic and military 
     strength;
       Whereas United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by 
     terrorists as part of these attacks;
       Whereas while Flight 93 was still in the air, passengers 
     and crew, through cellular phone conversations with loved 
     ones on the ground, learned that other hijacked airplanes had 
     been used in these attacks;
       Whereas during these phone conversations several of the 
     passengers indicated that there was an agreement among the 
     passengers and crew to try to overpower the hijackers who had 
     taken over the aircraft;
       Whereas it is believed that it was this effort to overpower 
     the hijackers that caused Flight 93 to crash in southwestern 
     Pennsylvania, short of what is believed to have been its 
     intended target: Washington, D.C.; and
       Whereas the crash resulted in the death of everyone on 
     board the aircraft: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) on September 11, 2001, the passengers and crew of 
     hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 possibly averted the use 
     of that aircraft in a further terrorist attack on the United 
     States by attempting to overpower the hijackers;
       (2) the United States owes its deepest gratitude to the 
     passengers and crew of Flight 93, and extends its condolences 
     to the families and friends of Captain Jason Dahl, First 
     Officer Leroy Homer, flight attendants Lorraine G. Bay, 
     Sandra W. Bradshaw, Wanda A. Green, Ceecee Lyles, Deborah A. 
     Welsh, and passengers Christian Adams, Todd Beamer, Alan 
     Beaven, Mark Bingham, Thomas Burnett, William Cashman, 
     Georgine Corrigan, Joseph Deluca, Patrick Driscoll, Edward 
     Felt, Jane C. Folger, Colleen Fraser, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy 
     Glick, Kristin Gould, Lauren Grandcolas, Donald Greene, Linda 
     Gronlund, Richard Guadagno, Toshiya Kuge, Hilda Marcin, 
     Waleska Martinez, Nicole Miller, Louis J. Nacke, Donald 
     Peterson, Mark Rothenberg, John Talignani, Honor Elizabeth 
     Wainio, and 9 passengers whose families wish them to remain 
     anonymous; and
       (3) a memorial plaque to these victims should be placed on 
     the grounds of the Capitol, and a copy of the wording of the 
     plaque, together with a copy of this resolution from the 
     Congressional Record, should be sent to a designated survivor 
     of each victim.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution was introduced by the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher). As of yesterday, it had 131 cosponsors, and I 
know many others are interested in cosponsoring this important 
resolution.
  The resolution was introduced on September 20, 2001, 9 days after the 
September 11 attack on America.
  In my view, all the victims who gave their lives on September 11 are 
American heroes. Of course, much attention has been rightfully focused 
on the heroes that took heroic actions in the World Trade Center and 
also in the Pentagon. But, Mr. Speaker, the passengers of United Flight 
93 deserve special recognition.
  As the fourth plane hijacked on that day, the passengers, 
unfortunately, knew the fate that awaited them. Rather than accept that 
fate, however, the passengers of Flight 93 acted. We know they 
courageously fought back against the terrorists. While they did not 
succeed in saving the aircraft or their own lives, they were able to 
prevent hijackers from achieving their horrible objectives. In that 
process, Mr. Speaker, they lost their lives, and they lost their lives 
conducting heroic actions.

[[Page 24018]]

  While we may never confirm the targets of those terrorists, we know 
they were headed, in fact, to Washington and, more than likely, this 
very Capitol building. The heroic actions of the passengers and crew of 
Flight 93 saved many lives. Therefore, it is entirely fitting that we, 
my colleagues in the Congress today, honor the crew and passengers on 
Flight 93 with both this resolution and also with a memorial plaque on 
the grounds, as called for in this resolution.

                              {time}  1215

  I want to take this opportunity to again congratulate our colleague, 
the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher), for his initiative in 
introducing this significant resolution, and urge its adoption in the 
House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud and privileged to rise today to support 
this resolution. These American heroes launched the first offensive 
action of the United States of America's war on terrorism. They truly 
are American heroes. They knew the odds were overwhelmingly against 
them; yet motivated by patriotism, love of God, family, and country, 
they attacked the terrorists to protect other Americans in America.
  Someone once said, ``Responsibility is a wine press that brings forth 
strange juices.'' The juices that came from these passengers on United 
Flight 93 were unbelievable strength and unlimited courage.
  Like those Americans on Bataan, Corregidor, and Wake Island, these 
Americans sacrificed for their country and their families. No American 
should ever forget what they accomplished.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher), who is also the author of this 
resolution.
  Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for his 
work on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
  Mr. Speaker, as we look at this, I rise today to encourage my 
colleagues to vote for this measure; and I really do not think it will 
take a lot of encouragement because we have had an overwhelming 
expression of enthusiasm regarding those on Flight 93 and their heroic 
activities.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a resolution expressing a sense of Congress that 
a memorial plaque be established on the grounds of the Capitol. It is 
an expression of our thanks and condolences to the passengers and crew 
of United Flight 93.
  I also want to thank my staff member, Phillip Brown, who has worked 
very hard to get this done. It was originally his idea. I think it is 
very appropriate as the families and survivors, and not only that, all 
of us, as we go about these Capitol grounds, I think it will be the 
appropriate thing to do. I think it will be great for posterity as they 
see a plaque that honors those on Flight 93 that I do believe had a 
significant part in saving probably our Capitol.
  On September 11, United Airlines Flight 93, piloted by Captain James 
Dahl, departed from Newark International Airport at 8:01 on a routine 
flight to San Francisco with six other crew members and 38 passengers 
on board. Shortly after departure, the flight was hijacked by 
terrorists.
  The hijacking was one of four, as we all remember, on the morning of 
September 11. We all remember that date because it was a horrible day 
and a turning point in our Nation's history. Four of our own planes 
were hijacked and targeted on buildings that define our Nation and 
symbolize our freedom and values and symbolize our Nation's economic 
and military strength. Three of these planes hit their marks, resulting 
in an incomprehensible tragedy and loss of innocent life on a scale not 
seen in this country since the Civil War.
  We know that the passengers and crew learned through cellular phone 
conversations with loved ones on the ground of the deliberate acts of 
the destruction and murder occurring in New York City and Washington, 
D.C., and that hijacked aircraft had been used in these terrorist acts 
of war.
  During these phone conversations, several of the passengers indicated 
that there was an agreement among the passengers and crew to try to 
overpower the hijackers who had taken over the aircraft. It is believed 
that it was this effort to overpower the hijackers that caused Flight 
93 to crash at 10:37 a.m. in southwestern Pennsylvania near 
Schwenksville, short of what is believed to have been its intended 
target, Washington, D.C., and probably, this very Capitol building we 
stand in today.
  These efforts of these individuals on this plane heroically limited 
the damage the terrorists could inflict, losing their lives for their 
country in the process. We owe the passengers and the crew our 
gratitude and our honor.
  The participants of the resistance on board Flight 93 showed selfless 
courage and patriotism:
  Passengers like Todd Beamer, whose young widow is here today in 
Washington. He told a telephone operator how much he loved his 
expecting wife and two sons, and he asked her to call them. He asked 
her to pray the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23 with him. He told her, ``I 
am going to have to go out in faith,'' and his now famous words ``Let's 
roll'' have become a rallying cry in America.
  Passengers like Tom Burnett, who left what he knew would be likely 
his last conversation with his wife saying, ``Okay, we are going to do 
something.''
  Passengers like Jeremy Glick, who told his wife that the passengers 
and crew had taken a vote and agreed to try to take back the plane.
  Crew members like Sandra Bradshaw, who told her husband of the plan 
to rush the hijackers and take back control of the plane, and that she 
was boiling water to use as a weapon against the terrorists.
  The passengers and crew, all of whom are survived by loved ones, 
husbands, wives, children, and parents, very likely averted the 
destruction of the U.S. Capitol and the symbol this institution has 
become for the democratic process of government, and in the process, 
saving hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives.
  By their heroic acts, Lady Liberty still stands at the top of our 
noble dome, and the light of freedom still shines brightly here in the 
Capitol.
  This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a memorial 
plaque to honor, and I would like to read these names, Captain Jason 
Dahl, First Officer Leroy Homer, flight attendants Lorraine G. Bay, 
Sandra W. Bradshaw, Wanda A. Green, Ceecee Lyles, Deborah A. Welch, 
passengers Christian Adams, Todd Beamer, Alan Beaven, Mark Bingham, 
Thomas Burnett, William Cashman, Georgine Corrigan, Patricia Cushing, 
Joseph DeLuca, Patrick Driscoll, Edward Felt, Jane C. Folger, Colleen 
Fraser, Andrew Garcia, Jeremy Glick, Christine Gould, Lauren 
Grandcolas, Donald Greene, Linda Gronlund, Richard Guadagno, Toshiya 
Kuge, Hilda Marcin, Waleska Martinez, Nicole Miller, Louis J. Nacke, 
Donald Peterson, Jean Peterson, Mark Rothenberg, Christine Snyder, John 
Talignani, and Honor Elizabeth Wainio.
  This plaque should be crafted and placed here on the grounds of the 
United States Capitol expressing our thanks and condolences; and a copy 
of the plaque, together with a copy of this resolution from the 
Congressional Record, should be sent to a designated survivor of each 
victim.
  I am confident with the passage of this resolution that the Speaker 
of the House, the House minority, the Senate majority leader, and the 
Senate minority leader will ask and direct the Architect of the Capitol 
to begin plans for design, crafting, and placement of this plaque, to 
begin as soon as possible.
  I also want to thank my colleagues for their support of this 
resolution; and after this vote, I intend to send a letter to the 
leadership regarding this sense of Congress, and I invite my colleagues 
to join me.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Mrs. Mink).
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
time to me.

[[Page 24019]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 232, in honor of all of the passengers and the 
crew on United Flight 93 that were lost on that fateful day, September 
11, 2001.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today because two of those who lost their lives 
came from Hawaii: Georgina Corrigan and Christine Snyder.
  Nothing could be more appalling than the spectacle of the airplanes 
crashing into the World Trade Center, and then to learn that a plane 
had also crashed in the Pentagon, and to learn about the crash in the 
fields in Pennsylvania. But the most devastating news for the people of 
Hawaii was to learn the names of all of the individuals from Hawaii who 
were lost in all of the four sites.
  The two who lost their lives at Pennsylvania in United Flight 93 are 
especially endeared to all of us here in the Capitol because there is 
nothing to discount the basis of information that we have that that 
plane, had it not been overtaken by those passengers, was destined to 
Washington, D.C. and quite probably the Capitol building itself. We 
would not be standing here today, we would not be part of this great 
legislative body if the people on Flight 93 had not taken the heroic 
stand that they did.
  So I stand here on behalf of all of the grateful people of this 
Capitol and its vicinity and of the government here in Washington, D.C. 
to especially pay tribute to those who lost their lives in Flight 93, 
United, and especially to remember the two women from Hawaii whose 
beloved ones, their friends and relatives, have all already had 
memorial services for them. They were distinguished in the lives and 
careers they had. So I am here today to express on behalf of their 
families and all of their friends our gratitude and our everlasting 
love and devotion in their memory.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution honoring the crew and passengers of United Flight 93. But, 
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues must be aware that as we honor these 
passengers we are honoring them for disregarding government policy. 
That government policy related to how one deals with a hijacking 
situation. That government policy mandated that we have full 
cooperation of the passengers and the crew with any potential 
hijackers.
  Amazingly, the FAA has still not changed that policy, despite the 
obvious changes in circumstance that make this policy ridiculous.
  Of all the precautions that we have been taking or could be taking to 
make sure that there are not any more hijackings, there are only really 
two things that matter: to secure the aircraft cockpits so they cannot 
be broken into; and, most importantly, to make sure that the crew and 
passengers never again cooperate with hijackers, and never open the 
door to that cockpit to any hijacker, no matter what may be happening 
in the cabin.
  Nothing else, not the banning of tasers or knives or even strip 
searches, is going to make air travel any safer than that.
  As we honor these people who gave their lives and were so brave and 
courageous, let us admit that perhaps we have made some mistakes in 
Congress in dealing with this crisis. The fact is that we have moved 
forward in response to these horror stories on September 11 and the 
bravery on Flight 93 and the other planes that were hijacked, and we 
have put in place policies that may be backfiring right now.
  Instead of saving the industry, we may be killing the airline 
industry, and that is the very last thing we should do to honor these 
brave people on Flight 93, who more than any other fellow Americans 
stand for freedom to travel. Instead of saving our airline industry, we 
have people who are being now so inconvenienced that they are giving up 
airline travel. This makes no sense at all. We should today, as we 
honor these heroes of Flight 93, reexamine what we put in place so our 
airlines can serve people.
  As the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) mentioned to me a few 
moments ago, we are losing more passengers to this incredible, 
nonsensical way that we are hindering people from getting on the plane 
to the inconvenience that we have created that is not making travel any 
safer than we are losing passengers for fear of terrorism.
  So today, let us honor these people who fought so bravely, these 
Americans on Flight 93, United 93; and let us say that what they were 
fighting for was the freedom to travel. Let us back up the airline 
industry. Let us not do something that just makes us feel good or makes 
the American people feel good; but instead, let us put in practice some 
of the changes in policy needed to make airline transportation safer, 
but is not some sort of show that makes things more inconvenient, thus 
killing the airlines.

                              {time}  1230

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Mascara).
  Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski) for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor American heroes. Since September 11 our 
Nation has learned a lot about heroes. Not surprisingly, they are 
everywhere across this great country of ours. Some of the first heroes 
to stand up for America on the tragic day were the men and women of 
United Flight 93.
  When the 44 men and women aboard Flight 93 discovered what was 
intended for that plane, they united to make the ultimate sacrifice for 
their Nation. Their valor thwarted either an attack on this building or 
on the Nation's White House. These brave passengers and crew members 
knew that if they did not act the terrorists would strike another blow 
against the country they love.
  Flight 93 went down just outside of my district. That is now hallowed 
ground. Family and friends of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 
visit that site to continue to remember their loved ones.
  This Congress should make sure that their brave actions will never be 
forgotten by their family and friends and every citizen of this Nation 
for generations to come. This Congress should show our Nation's 
gratitude by passing this resolution and erect a memorial plaque on the 
Capitol grounds in honor of the men and women of Flight 93. These 
citizens were true American heroes.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Mica) has 8 minutes remaining. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski) has 15 minutes remaining.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in very strong support of this resolution 
to honor the heroes on Flight 93 who undoubtedly gave their lives so 
that other people, perhaps people in this building, perhaps all of us, 
would be able to live.
  Words, it seems to me, seem inadequate to express the deep emotions 
that we feel for the loss suffered by the surviving family members of 
those who perished on September 11. We offer our sincere condolences, 
and we pray that God may supernaturally intervene with healing, 
comfort, and peace for them, especially during this holiday season.
  Mr. Speaker, we will not forget the action of those on Flight 93. 
Like I said, they probably saved the lives of many people here in 
Washington. Capitol Hill was a very busy morning on September 11. Many 
congressional hearings were taking place. As a matter of fact, as 
chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, at 10 o'clock I was 
convening a hearing with the American Legion, and there were several 
hundred legionnaires in attendance at that hearing.
  On the Senate side, the First Lady was preparing to testify on a 
hearing on early childhood development.

[[Page 24020]]

  Their lives were saved, the lives of all of the employees here in the 
Capitol were probably saved from a horror because of their very heroic 
action.
  The planned destruction of buildings was prevented. The Capitol, the 
White House, the many monuments, we are not sure what the final 
destination was. There is a great deal of conjecture, but the odds were 
that they were coming here.
  Our Nation, Mr. Speaker, owes these passengers and crew an enormous 
debt of gratitude, and, again, their sacrifice will be remembered for 
many, many years to come.
  I would like to just point out that there were at least seven people 
who lived in or near my own central New Jersey district who were on 
that flight. Some of the family members and friends have contacted my 
office, and we have tried to work on their behalf. Their names are in 
the resolution, but out of respect and gratitude I would like to read 
their names again: Flight Attendant Lorraine Bay; Todd Beamer, who was 
in the district just north of me, in the gentleman from New Jersey's 
(Mr. Holt) district; Patrick Driscoll; Edward Felt; Jeremy Glick; 
Richard Guadagno. Donald and Jean Peterson were also on board that 
flight.
  And one final point. Earlier the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Rohrabacher) mentioned the fact that the crews, especially the pilots, 
were admonished, more than admonished, they were told by the FAA that 
they were to cooperate if there was a hijacking and go to wherever it 
is the hijackers wanted them to go. My own brother is an airline pilot. 
He is a 757 captain with a major airline, and he, too, has told me how 
obnoxious it is that that was the policy, take them to Cuba, take them 
to Tripoli, take them to where it is they want to go because they have 
got to put the safety of the passengers first. It is obnoxious now more 
than ever because we know that there are different designs on those 
planes being carried out.
  I just want to make it very clear, it is my sense and a sense that 
this will not happen, that whether it be the crew or whether it be the 
passengers--or not--that we will never see another airliner turned into 
a cruise missile again because there will be action taken; and, again, 
Flight 93 has set a precedent that will live on forever, that people 
will not stand idly by when they know that they are going to be part of 
a terrorist action unwittingly, as were the other flights.
  Again, I want to commend the maker of the resolution, the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher), my good friend, for offering it.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In conclusion, I once again would like to salute the crew and the 
passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 and express my personal 
condolences to all their family members.
  I would also, though, like to refer to some references that an 
earlier speaker made here. Since this tragedy on September 11, the 
United States Government has voted $5 billion to airlines in this 
country. We have voted $10 billion in loan guarantees to airlines in 
this country, and we have passed an extremely strong aviation security 
bill in this country. I believe all of those efforts are to improve not 
only the safety and security of American aviation but to get people 
back into the air, get people back flying.
  I also believe that in the security bill that we passed we spent a 
considerable amount of time talking about the training on terrorist 
attacks that crews should receive. So I think that since this 
horrendous terrorist attack on September 11 we in the House and the 
Senate and the executive branch of government have done a great, great 
deal to improve aviation security and safety and, also, as I said 
earlier, to get Americans back into the air.
  Let us hope and pray and work towards the day when American aviation 
will be perfectly secure and no one will have any hesitation about 
flying.
  Once again, my sincere condolences to the family of United Flight 93, 
the passengers, the crew; and, once again, I salute those courageous 
American heroes who tried to retake that flight and perished in their 
attempt. I thank them.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is indeed fitting that we honor and recognize the 
heroic efforts of the passengers and crew of Flight 93. This memorial 
resolution and the proposed plaque are indeed fitting, again, for those 
heroic actions.
  I must say, Mr. Speaker, that since September 11 many of us have been 
concerned about the welfare of some of those families left behind from 
Flight 93. My wife Pat and other congressional spouses and some in 
Congress have also been involved in trying to meet some of the 
financial needs of the families. Some of them were children left 
behind. The resolution and plaque are a great tribute from Congress, 
but these families, particularly in the time of holidays and their own 
personal needs, are in dire straits.
  Again, they have not gotten the attention of the victims of the World 
Trade Center or the Pentagon, but, nonetheless, they were great heroes, 
and they are now in need.
  I urge my colleagues and others to contact a Web site, 
www.capitolheroes.org. That is www.capitolheroes.org, to aid those 
families. So today we fittingly recognize those families with this 
resolution and those heroes with this plaque, but we also try to 
remember those left behind as survivors, and not only this resolution 
but our thoughts and prayers go out to the survivors and family left 
behind.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart in support 
of this resolution that honors the great bravery, courage, and 
patriotism of the crew and passengers abroad United Airlines Flight No. 
93, including Jeremy Glick of West Milford, NJ. Though we may never 
know what took place in the final minutes on that flight, we can be 
certain that because of Jeremy's actions, along with other passengers 
and crew members, lives were saved. Not only do the passengers and crew 
of Flight No. 93 deserve the highest of honors, but they deserve our 
immense gratitude.
  One of my constituents, Jeremy Glick, was among the 37 passengers and 
7 crew members on board United Airlines Flight No. 93 that on September 
11, 2001, departed from Newark International Airport at 8:01 a.m., on 
its scheduled route to San Francisco, CA. Shortly after departure, the 
plane was hijacked by terrorists. It is clear from the evidence that 
after learning that other hijacked planes had been used to attack the 
World Trade Center in New York City, Jeremy and others onboard United 
Airlines Flight No. 93 decided to fight the terrorists for control of 
the plane. Their brave defiance appears to have caused United Flight 
No. 93 to crash prematurely, potentially saving hundreds or thousands 
of lives. The White House or the Capitol clearly could have been the 
intended target of the terrorists.
  I would like this Chamber to know about one of the men who saved 
lives, possibly lives in this House, on September 11. Jeremy Glick was 
a devoted family man. His wife Lyzbeth had recently given birth to 
their daughter Emerson. Anyone who has seen the picture of Jeremy 
holding his baby daughter can clearly see the deep love that was in his 
heart.
  Jeremy was a man who loved life. Lyz, his brother Jared, or any of 
his friends could tell you endless stories that end in laughter. 
Ironically, Jeremy and his buddies dressed up like their favorite super 
heroes a couple of weeks ago. Jeremy dressed up as the Green Lantern. 
Little would we know that on September 11, 2001, Jeremy became a super 
hero.
  Soon after the terrorists took over the plane, Jeremy called his wife 
on his cell phone. Jeremy told his family about the terrorists and the 
location of the plane. Jeremy's family relayed the information to the 
police over another phone line. After Jeremy learned that other 
terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center he left his phone 
for a while and returned to say that the men voted to attack the 
terrorists. He left the phone and said he would be back--he never came 
back on the line.
  It is not hard to imagine Jeremy deciding to join with other 
passengers to fight the terrorists. He was well over six feet and was a 
college judo champion. It was reported that Jeremy faced the terrorists 
armed only with a plastic knife from an airline meal. I believe that 
Jeremy did not even need the plastic knife because he had courage and 
bravery on his side when he fought with the cowards who commandeered 
the plane.
  Jeremy's last words to his wife were, ``Lyz, I need you to be 
happy.'' It should be the hope and prayer of all Americans that Lyz 
will be happy. Lyz said after the crash, ``I think

[[Page 24021]]

God had a larger purpose for him, He was supposed to fly out the night 
before, but couldn't. I had Emmy one month early, so Jeremy got to see 
her. You can't tell me God isn't at work there.'' I believe God is at 
work with the Glicks.
  One thing that Lyz can definitely be, as we all are, is proud. The 
incredible courage and bravery that Jeremy showed in the face of 
certain danger is an inspiration to us all. When Jeremy died, he did it 
on his own terms--fighting against evil, with a brave heart, and 
boundless courage to sacrifice himself so others could live. For this 
reason, I have introduced a resolution urging the Congress to grant 
Jeremy the Congressional Gold Medal. On behalf of our country, let us 
recognize this man who served us in one of our most horrific hours. 
Jeremy Glick truly deserves the highest of our Nation's honors.
  Now our Nation faces a long and hard struggle to rid the world of the 
evil that took Jeremy's and so many others lives on September 11. Many 
thousands of our men and women in uniform are meeting that challenge. 
Jeremy--though not expecting to--became one of the first ``soldiers'' 
in this crusade. I will forever remember and honor Jeremy as a true 
American superhero.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this measure.
  God bless Jeremy Glick and God bless America.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) that the House suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 232.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________