[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13789-13790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR THE 10-MONTH-LONG WORLD TRADE CENTER CLEANUP 
AND RECOVERY EFFORTS AT THE FRESH KILLS LANDFILL ON STATEN ISLAND, NEW 
      YORK, FOLLOWING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 492) expressing gratitude for the 10-month-long 
World Trade Center cleanup and recovery efforts at the Fresh Kills 
Landfill on Staten Island, New York, following the terrorist attacks of 
September 11, 2001.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 492

       Resolved, That the House of Representatives thanks and pays 
     tribute to all those whose 10 months of efforts at Fresh 
     Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New York, to clean up the 
     debris from the site of the World Trade Center, and to 
     recover the remains and effects of the victims, following the 
     terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, helped to bring 
     healing and closure to the victims' families and loved ones, 
     to New York, and to the Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Putnam) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam).


                             General Leave

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Res. 492.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 492 is being introduced by our 
distinguished colleague from the State of New York (Mr. Fossella). This 
resolution honors the more than 1,000 workers who worked day and night 
for 10 months at the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, sifting 
through over 1.5 million tons of debris from the World Trade Center 
site, searching for human remains and personal items.
  Mr. Speaker, following the unthinkable horror of last September 11, a 
reality emerged that rivaled the gravity of the tragedy itself, that 
the debris from the site would have to be hauled away and painstakingly 
sifted for the remains of those killed in the tragedy. Tons of 
concrete, steel, and other material had to be carried away by the 
truckload, and dedicated men and women from New York City, State, and 
Federal agencies contracted to completing this seemingly endless and 
compassionate work.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for introducing this 
measure that honors those wonderful Americans that performed this back-
breaking labor for months on end. For this reason, I urge all Members 
to support the adoption of House Resolution 492.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the debris from the cleanup of the terrorist attacks on 
the World Trade Center towers were taken to the Fresh Kills Landfill on 
Staten Island, New York for cleanup and investigation. Over a 10-month 
period following September 11, 2001, more than 1,000 workers at the 
landfill, around the clock, tirelessly and carefully sifted through all 
1.62 million tons of debris from the World Trade Center site, searching 
for remains, personal effects, and evidence from what is now considered 
to be history's largest crime scene.
  These workers came from 28 New York City, State, and Federal agencies 
to participate in these cleanup and recovery efforts. They recovered 
approximately 20 percent of all of the victim remains following the 
towers' collapse, as well as more than 54,000 personal items. The 
remains of 188 of the 1,215 World Trade Center victims whose remains 
have been identified and returned to their families were recovered at 
the landfill. The actions of these workers brought peace to the 
hundreds of friends and families that were touched by this horrific 
attack against the United States.
  This resolution pays tribute to the workers who helped clean up the 
debris of the World Trade Center site and recovered the remains and 
effects of the victims. I urge my colleagues' support for this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Staten Island, New York (Mr. Fossella), the sponsor of 
this measure.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for 
yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from Missouri for his 
words.
  This was said last week at the closing ceremony of the Fresh Kills 
Landfill: ``As grass grows green again on Fresh Kills, teach us that 
life, not death, has triumphed.'' That was the Reverend Jack Ryan who 
spent, it seemed like almost every day for the last 10 months, up at 
the landfill that has been mentioned by my colleagues, where more than 
1,000 workers and volunteers really did the Lord's work, trying to help 
some families come to closure. As was mentioned, 54,000 personal items, 
such things as wedding rings or wallets, identifications, pictures, and 
the like were recovered and given to

[[Page 13790]]

many of the families. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) mentioned 
that 188 of the victims were identified from the work at Fresh Kills.
  Over the past 10 months, I visited the landfill many times and 
witnessed for myself the work which has taken a physical and an 
emotional toll on the men and women there. But they never stopped 
pushing themselves. They never stopped, because they knew what they 
were doing was making a positive difference in the lives of people who 
suffered greatly. They brought peace of mind and a sense of healing to 
many, and a grateful Nation offers its thanks to these tireless and 
dedicated workers.
  Many of the workers sustained personal losses themselves on September 
11 and were perhaps searching and working to find any remnant that 
would help bring their own loved one to rest. They were working in 
honor of their own family, friend, or coworkers; others simply worked 
for our country and to provide some element of closure to fellow 
Americans.
  The sacrifice of all of these workers and their willingness to give 
of themselves to help others has shown that the best attributes of 
mankind may emerge, even as a result of the worst mankind can do. 
Through their efforts, people such as Police Investigator James Luongo, 
the coordinator of the recovery effort at Fresh Kills, FBI Special 
Agent Richard Marx, Firefighter John Tedesco, Port Authority Police 
Lieutenant Brian Tierney, Dominick Bilotto of the New York City 
Sanitation Department, and hundreds like them gave families such as 
Bill and Camille Doyle some comfort by returning their 25 year-old son, 
Joseph's, driver's license and credit cards which were retrieved at 
Fresh Kills.
  For now, it is all the Doyles have of their son, a driver's license 
and credit cards. But even for that, they are extremely thankful to 
those who worked at the landfill.
  I think a clear demonstration of how much their work at Fresh Kills 
means to the people of Staten Island, New York City, the State, and the 
Nation is illustrated by the actions of a Staten Islander, Daya Madison 
of St. George who, on the day of the closing ceremony, stood at the 
foot of the road leading out of the landfill, holding up the same signs 
she has held up at the site for almost 10 months straight, wishing the 
workers well and thanking them.

                              {time}  1815

  As a Nation, we must remember that while over 1,200 families, 1,200, 
have had the remains of their loved ones returned to them. There are 
over 1,600, 1,600 families who lost a loved one on that unimaginable 
day of September 11 at the Trade Center who have not recovered 
anything. These families do not have a grave site to visit, ashes to 
scatter or something of their loved one to lay to rest. Almost a year 
later these families are still hoping and praying every day that their 
loved one will be identified and returned to them.
  We must also remember to keep these families in our hearts and 
prayers. For over 50 years the Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island 
served as a dumping ground for New York City, now and forever more will 
serve as a hallowed ground; and we will always remember how the good in 
people was exhibited there.
  It is often said that closure does not have an end and we do not 
necessarily move on, but move forward. These workers at Fresh Kills 
Field should forever remain proud in knowing that they helped many more 
than they will ever know to move forward. Again, as Father Ryan said, 
``As grass grows green again on Field Kills, teach us that life not 
death has triumphed.''
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Fossella) for bringing this measure to the House's attention. I urge 
adoption of this measure.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my friend from Staten Island 
in recognizing the heroes who worked outside the view of cameras over 
the last year.
  The people who worked at Fresh Kills had a terrible task. More than 
1,000 workers toiled at the landfill, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
They sifted through all 1.62 million tons of debris from the World 
Trade Center site. They sifted through a national tragedy, looking for 
the remains of national heroes.
  They searched for body parts, personal items, and evidence from what 
is history's largest crime scene. These workers recovered approximately 
20 percent of all the victim remains. 188 of the 1,215 World Trade 
Center victims whose remains have been identified and returned to their 
families were recovered at the landfill.
  More than 54,000 personal items were recovered: wedding rings, 
photographs, driver licenses, keys; reminders of lives lived and 
tragically cut short.
  These workers helped the victims' families by giving the families 
something to hold. These items could never replace the lost ones, but 
could help give some closure and peace. On July 15, 2002, the cleanup 
and recovery operations at Fresh Kills Landfill came to a somber 
conclusion.
  We will however, be eternally grateful to the workers at Fresh Kills. 
We know it wasn't an easy job. But these workers lived up to the best 
ideals of service by helping so many families.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 492.
  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. PUTNAM. 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.

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