[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5731-5735]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING AND HONORING FIREFIGHTERS FOR THEIR MANY CONTRIBUTIONS IN 
                          OUR NATION'S HISTORY

  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 188) recognizing and honoring firefighters 
for their many contributions throughout the history of the Nation.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 188

       Whereas in 1736 Benjamin Franklin founded the Union Fire 
     Company, the first volunteer fire company;
       Whereas there are more than 1,100,000 firefighters in the 
     United States;
       Whereas approximately 75 percent of all firefighters are 
     volunteers who receive little or no compensation for their 
     heroic work;
       Whereas career and combination fire departments protect 3 
     out of 4 Americans;
       Whereas there are more than 30,000 fire departments in the 
     United States;
       Whereas approximately 100 firefighters die in the line of 
     duty each year;
       Whereas more than 340 firefighters died responding to the 
     terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001;
       Whereas firefighters respond to more than 24,000,000 calls 
     during an average year;
       Whereas firefighters also provide emergency medical 
     services and life safety education; and
       Whereas it is estimated that on April 7, 2005, more than 
     2,000 firefighters will attend the 17th Annual National Fire 
     and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars;
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors and 
     recognizes the more than 1,100,000 firefighters in the United 
     States for their contributions to and sacrifice for the 
     Nation.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this worthwhile resolution 
that honors our Nation's incredible firefighters. This resolution 
extends the most sincere gratitude of the House of Representatives to 
the more than 1 million men and women who stand ready to put their 
lives on the line each time that fire station alarm bell rings.
  Madam Speaker, American firefighters respond to nearly 25 million 
calls each year from citizens across the country. Their dependability 
and service during countless kinds of urgent events are traits that 
Americans have come to count on.
  From their unequal bravery at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 
on September 11, 2001, to their responsiveness during the 2003 
California wildfires, to their aid provided time and time again 
following the series of hurricanes in Florida last fall, firefighters 
have been on the front lines of many headlining emergencies in recent 
years.
  Through these events, I believe Americans have gained an even greater 
level of admiration for firefighters because of their courage and 
selflessness.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of all Members, I want to thank firefighters 
for their service to this country. I highly commend the distinguished 
ranking member of the homeland security select subcommittee, the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), for introducing this 
measure.
  I urge the adoption of House Resolution 188.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he might consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Thompson), the sponsor of this resolution.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support 
of House Resolution 188, a bipartisan resolution that I have offered, 
along with the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), honoring the 
service and sacrifices of our Nation's firefighters.
  I am a former volunteer firefighter, so I understand what our 1.1 
million firefighters give up in the name of service. Our firefighters, 
whether they are paid or volunteer, put their lives at risk with every 
call they must answer.
  Our paid firefighters are active in many charitable activities that 
benefit our communities. They lose time away from their families. They 
train and prepare, yet they never complain. Madam Speaker, in the case 
of volunteer firefighters, they often have to devote time in raising 
money to purchase equipment and pay for training that will keep them 
safe while they protect us and our property.
  Sadly, each year over 100 firefighters lose their lives in the line 
of duty. I encourage every Member of Congress to pay a visit to the 
National Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
  From my home State of Mississippi in 2004, two firefighters were 
killed in the line of duty. Those two firefighters, Elliott Davis, Jr., 
and Terrie Eiland, paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect their fellow 
citizens.
  Recently, Mississippi constructed a memorial park in Pearl, 
Mississippi, to honor the 67 firefighters from the State who have paid 
the ultimate sacrifice. We all vividly remember the heroism of the 
firefighters in New York on 9/11; over 340 firefighters lost their 
lives on this horrific day.
  It is impossible to know, Madam Speaker, how many thousands of lives 
the selfless response of the New York firefighters saved that day. Our 
firefighters and other first responders are the first line of defense 
for many incidents of terrorism or national disaster.
  This week over 2,000 fire service leaders from around the United 
States are in Washington to attend the 17th annual Natural Fire and 
Emergency Services dinner and seminar. These fine men and women are 
here to learn more about what we are doing in Washington to support 
firefighters.
  At the same time, we can learn a great deal from them. These men and 
women are the living embodiment of what makes this country so great. I 
encourage each Member of Congress to take time from their schedules to 
meet with their local fire service representatives who are in town.

[[Page 5732]]

  Madam Speaker, it gives me great pride to stand before this body in 
support of House Resolution 188, a measure that honors and recognizes 
firefighters for their many contributions throughout our history. In 
many respects, this measure says thank you to all firefighters for all 
of the sacrifices, the dedication, and the commitment they continually 
display in protecting our towns, cities, States, and our Nation.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I am proud to yield 8 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) who has been, in my time in 
Congress, the leader of the Fire Caucus and the go-to guy on fire 
issues.
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I want to first of all 
thank my distinguished chairman for his kind comments and for his 
leadership on a number of issues, especially those today dealing with 
the fire service, and thank the distinguished ranking member as well 
and the other Members who will speak here today.
  Madam Speaker, I would not be in this body were it not for my 
involvement in the fire service of America. I grew up the youngest of 
nine children in a fire service family. Like my six older brothers and 
father, I became involved as a firefighter, president of my fire 
company, chief of my fire company, state instructor, and while teaching 
school during the day went back and got a degree in fire protection.
  When I came to Congress, what I saw was a Federal Government that was 
not being responsive to the 1.2 million men and women who serve this 
country. It was back 18 years ago that we formed the Fire Caucus. It 
has been the largest caucus in the Congress for the past 10 years, 340 
Members.
  The institute, which will benefit from the dinner tomorrow night, 
works the issues of firefighters in this Congress, and has given us 
unbelievable success, success in the form of grants. Working with our 
good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) and the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and our good friend, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht), and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Tom Davis) and others, we have established great programs to assist 
these people in protecting their towns.
  And to our colleagues I would say, you know, the fire service is more 
than just people who fight fires. They are really the heart and soul of 
America. They are the backbone of our communities. The 32,000 
organizations, 85 percent of whom are volunteer, are the organizations 
that organize July 4th parades, Memorial Day celebrations; they rescue 
the cats in the trees.
  They pump the cellars out when they are flooded. They are the people 
who allow us to vote in their fire halls on election day. They are the 
receptions where we have our weddings and our anniversaries in the fire 
station. They host the Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. They are the 
fabric of what makes America what it is. There is no other group of 
people in the country that works as largely volunteers, where 100 of 
them are killed during the course of their volunteer activities, as 
well as their paid activities.
  The fire service is America. It is older than the country is, the 
first fire department having been founded 250 years ago. The fire 
service is what this country is all about, people who give back in 
small towns and big cities to protect our communities.
  The fire service is finally getting national recognition, and all of 
us need to continue that effort. Madam Speaker, in my 20 years in 
Congress, I have been at all of our disasters of major significance: 
The floods in the Midwest, the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma 
City, Hurricanes Andrew and Hugo, Loma Pietra, Northridge earthquakes, 
and in every case, every case, the men and women of the fire service 
are there protecting our towns. They are our domestic defenders. They 
are the people who respond for us.
  Madam Speaker, I was at the World Trade Center in 1993 and met a 
fellow who would become my good friend, Chief Ray Downey. He made 
recommendations to us that we in this Congress took to heart. We 
established the Gilmore Commission because of Chief Downey's 
recommendations. The saddest call I took on September the 11 of 2001 
was from a battalion chief friend of mine in New York who said, ``Curt, 
Ray is down. He has been killed by the collapse of the first tower.''
  I said, ``I will be on the first train into New York the next day.'' 
And so I went on the first Amtrak train into New York City, was met at 
Penn Station by a battalion chief and taken down to Ground Zero where I 
spent the day at the headquarters of the Fire Department of New York, 
with the firefighters who were there doing harrowing acts and 
attempting to identify people that were still trapped.
  As I walked from the center of the activity at Ground Zero around the 
back of one of these seven-story piles of rubble, I could see two 
firefighters on their knees. And I could barely read the back of their 
turn-out gear. As I got closer, I saw the names on the back, and there 
were the names Downey and Downey.
  You see, like firefighting families all across America, when the 
father gets involved, so do the brothers and so do the uncles. There 
were two of Ray Downey's five kids, searching through the rubble to try 
to find the remains of their father at the last site that he had been 
seen.
  We did not find Ray Downey's remains until 8 months later through DNA 
evidence, that we could give him a proper burial. I said it cannot get 
much worse than this. But you have to understand, Madam Speaker, who 
those men and women are. I went back to the Javits Center with the head 
of the firefighters union, Harold Shaitberger.
  Our job was to greet the family members of those who were missing, 
the 343 firefighters that were missing and eventually were determined 
to be killed in the collapse of the Trade Center towers. And I remember 
two families standing out. The first was a woman in her late 30s. She 
had a baby in her arms and was being held up by her brother and her 
sister. As she came in, I said, I am terribly sorry. The country is 
grieving with you. Who is missing?
  She said, Congressman, my husband is missing. He was the rock of my 
family. He was everything. He was a great neighbor. He was involved in 
the community. What do I do now, Congressman? We have 10 children.
  We sometimes take these people for granted. Ten children yet still 
developing time to help protect his neighbors and his friends and 
people he had never met.
  And then a second woman came in in her 50s. She was being helped by 
her brother. I went over and I embraced her. I said, I am terribly 
sorry. Who is missing? And she said, Congressman, my husband is 
missing.
  Her name was Angelini, I will never forget it. She said, Congressman, 
my husband was ready to retire from the New York City Fire Department, 
just a matter of months after a full career. He is gone, I know he will 
not be back, because I would have gotten a call by now.
  I said, I am terribly sorry, Mrs. Angelini. She said, But, 
Congressman, my son is gone too. You see, he wanted to be like his 
father.
  So Angelini Junior was like his father, a firefighter in New York. 
Both of them were killed by the collapse of the Trade Center towers. 
How do we tell that family that the work they did is so vitally 
important to our country? We tell it by doing the things that we are 
doing in Congress to support those firefighters that are alive.
  And I would ask my colleagues on this day that we welcome 2,200 
firefighters to Washington to help me right a wrong. Junior 
firefighters today have been ruled by the Justice Department that they 
are not eligible as American heroes. It is outrageous to the junior 
firefighters killed in the line of duty, 1 year below the normal age of 
18, cannot qualify for public safety officer death benefits.
  We need to right the wrong of the Justice Department so that anyone 
who volunteers, whether it be a 15- or 16-year-old junior firefighter 
in Wisconsin, or whether it be a 17-year-old

[[Page 5733]]

Eagle Scout doing his volunteer fire work in Florida, if they are 
killed in the line of duty, they too are American heroes.
  Today, that is not the case. So I thank my colleagues for their 
support. I thank them for their leadership. I welcome everyone tomorrow 
night as we celebrate, for the 17th time, America's true domestic 
defenders, the men and women of the American fire service. I thank my 
colleagues for yielding the time to me.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 
minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), another strong 
proponent of firefighters.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) for yielding me this time.
  We are overwhelmed. This is a great piece of legislation that has 
been introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson). We 
are all supportive of it.

                              {time}  1400

  The gentleman from Pennsylvania and I are always overwhelmed day in 
and day out by the work of all of our first responders, and today we 
recognize our firefighters.
  Just recently, Madam Speaker, we had tremendous floods in north 
Jersey. Who were the first there? The first there were our 
firefighters, and the best action we could take was to recognize their 
service and to do something about it here.
  I want to commend the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), my 
good friend, the ranking member of the Select Committee on Homeland 
Security, for this resolution and for his leadership of some of the 
most important issues of our time.
  This resolution, H. Res. 188, pays needed tribute to the over 1.1 
million firefighters in the United States, who take 24 million calls a 
year. Think about that. Day in and day out. It gives us a chance to say 
thank you to the men and women who contributed to and sacrificed so 
much for this country.
  Every 19 seconds a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in 
America. Over 1.5 million fires are handled by public fire departments. 
These are staggering figures when we know many places have manpower 
shortages; many places do not have the resources within the 
municipalities to do what has to be done.
  Firefighters risk their lives at an alarming rate, and we know their 
heroism is absolutely critical. Where we would be without them, Madam 
Speaker? What would we do without them?
  The work of firefighters is as noble as it is vital, and we will 
remain forever grateful. They are truly heroes, truly heroes in our 
midst.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues, I plead with my colleagues, the 
chairman, the ranking member, that we not forget these words today when 
we have to reinforce the Fire Act, when we have to appropriate for the 
SAFER Act so that we put our actions where our words are.
  God bless these men and women that put their lives on the line every 
day, and I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the chairman of the Committee 
on Government Reform.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me time, and just note that I rise in support of H. Res. 188, 
honoring the service of America's firefighters.
  Every day these Americans risk their lives to save others. Three 
hundred forty-five firefighters died at the World Trade Center, but 
what is not mentioned is that one-quarter of them were off duty. They 
were off duty, but those firefighters heard the call they were needed. 
They risked, and in some cases sacrificed, their lives in order to save 
others.
  In America such sacrifices are a daily occurrence. Three times a 
minute there is a fire call somewhere in the country. Firefighters 
never know when that call could be their last.
  This resolution is a very simple way for us to say thank you for the 
job you do. We honor you. You make a difference every day.
  I urge its adoption.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he might consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), 
the Democratic whip.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), thank him for his leadership on this issue, and 
thank him for his commitment to firefighters throughout this country.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of our Nation's 
firefighters. I am proud to have cosponsored this resolution. I am even 
more proud of my work with the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, 
which I have been privileged to cochair with the distinguished 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), who started that caucus, and 
who is, I think, probably the most ardent spokesperson on behalf of 
firefighters and firefighting safety in this country.
  The Fire Services Caucus, Madam Speaker, has long championed 
initiatives to include the safety and well-being of our Nation's 
firefighters and to enhance their ability to protect our communities.
  Specifically, we have worked to establish and fund the assistance to 
the firefighters grant program, which has provided more than $2 billion 
in equipment and training grants for career and volunteer fire 
departments across the country.
  Madam Speaker, it is appropriate that we recognize the extraordinary 
contribution to the passage of that act. Indeed, he was the author of 
that act, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell). I want to thank 
him for his leadership which is untiring, unflagging and so effective 
on behalf of our firefighters and the emergency response personnel all 
over this country. I thank him.
  Madam Speaker, more recently we have worked to authorize and fund the 
SAFER program, which the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) also 
talked about, and perhaps others have as well, which provides much-
needed assistance to allow career and volunteer departments to hire and 
recruit additional personnel. Understaffing is not only a safety 
problem for our neighborhoods, but a safety problem for our men and 
women who risk their lives in our defense.
  It is appropriate that we work tirelessly on behalf of the 1.1 
million men and women serving as our domestic defenders. We send men 
and women abroad to defend freedom, to defend democracy. We are 
tragically losing some of those people in Iraq today and perhaps 
Afghanistan. They do so as volunteers. They do so because they believe 
in our country, in its ideals and in freedom.
  Very frankly, here at home we are kept safe by men and women in 
uniform as well, our police and our firefighters and our emergency 
responders. We owe them not only a debt of gratitude, but we owe 
investing in their enterprise to keep them safe and to keep our 
neighborhoods and communities safe.
  We ask far too many of them to risk their lives in our defense every 
day with outdated equipment, Madam Speaker, insufficient training and 
inadequate staffing, and we have an obligation to provide them the 
necessary resources to perform their jobs as safely and effectively as 
possible.
  By honoring this obligation and supporting programs like the SAFER 
Act and the fire grants, we not only ensure they will go home to their 
loved ones at the end of the day, we also enable them to better perform 
their job by protecting us and our loved ones every day.
  Madam Speaker, we will all vote for this resolution. It is easy to 
vote for resolutions. It is appropriate to vote for this resolution, 
but if we really mean what we say in honoring these firefighters, men 
and women, volunteers and career, if we really mean that, the gentleman 
from New Jersey is correct, and I am sure, I have not heard others 
speak, but I am sure the observation was made as well, we need to 
invest our resources behind the work that they do. This resolution,

[[Page 5734]]

while appropriate and while important, it will not be as meaningful as 
it otherwise would be.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers on our 
side, I do not believe, on this resolution.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I will close for our side, and 
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Firefighters are indeed on the front lines between the public and the 
devastation that fires or other emergencies can cause. This mostly 
volunteer force helps protect the public interest from these dangers by 
rapidly responding to a variety of emergencies despite hazardous 
conditions and long, irregular hours.
  Every year fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and 
destroy property worth billions of dollars. Fire kills 3,700 and 
injures more than 20,000 people each year. Direct property losses due 
to fire reach almost $11 billion a year.
  Firefighters pay a high price as well. Approximately 100 firefighters 
die in the line of duty each year.
  Firefighters must be prepared to respond immediately to a fire or any 
other emergency that arises. Because fighting fires is dangerous and 
complicated, it requires organization and teamwork. Education, training 
and teamwork have lowered the rate of America's fire losses today to 
represent a dramatic improvement from more than 20 years ago. In 1971, 
this Nation lost more than 12,000 citizens and 250 firefighters to 
fire.
  We owe a debt of gratitude to firefighters for making our communities 
safer. Therefore, I strongly support this resolution and urge that all 
of my colleagues do the same, and we continue to owe tremendous debts 
of gratitude to those men and women who every day protect us from 
fires.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank the gentleman from Illinois, and I thank all the other 
speakers on this important resolution. I think it is important that we, 
as a Congress, periodically recognize the contributions and the 
sacrifices that our firefighters make on our behalf every single day. 
So I hope all Members will join me in supporting the adoption of this 
resolution.
  Mr. SHAYS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res 188, which 
recognizes and honors the contributions firefighters have made to our 
country.
  Firefighters have played an important role in our nation's history 
since the first volunteer fire company was founded in 1736 by Benjamin 
Franklin. Firefighters take their oath of public safety very seriously 
and go above and beyond their call of duty to serve and protect the 
citizens of the United States.
  On September 11, 2001, the firefighters of our nation selflessly 
risked and gave their lives in one of most tragic days in the history 
of our country. The site of those brave men and women putting their 
lives on the line to enter the smoldering World Trade Center to save as 
many people as they could is still a humbling vision three years later. 
My heart goes out to the hundreds of firefighters who gave their lives 
on that horrible day.
  The terrorist attacks were not just attacks on New York City, but on 
the nation. With New York as a continuing top terrorist target, the 
protection of New York City is becoming a national responsibility. 
Other cities with tall buildings throughout the country face the same 
challenges with their communication systems and will need the same 
upgrades. Improvements in New York will lay the groundwork for 
improvements to communications systems across the country.
  In light of this fact, it is my hope Congress will redouble its 
efforts to insist that communications systems of firefighters in high-
risk urban areas be upgraded. The ``9/11 Can You Hear Me Now Act,'' 
which Congresswoman Maloney will be introducing soon with my support, 
instructs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a 
communication system that must be capable of operating in all locations 
and under the circumstances we know firefighters face and will continue 
to face when responding to emergencies.
  Today and every day, the bravery and self-sacrifice of the 
firefighters in the United States deserves to be commended. Their 
efforts have had an enormous impact on the public safety of our 
citizens. Thanks to the 1.1 million firefighters in the United States, 
the country is a safer place to live.
  Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
188, which honors our nation's firefighters for the lifesaving work 
they do every day to keep our families safe and secure. All too often 
we take for granted the heroic efforts of these dedicated public 
servants, and I am pleased to join my colleagues in taking a moment to 
say thank you.
  On Chicago's North Side, there is a large mural dedicated to the 
memory of fallen firefighters. It depicts several events where these 
brave men and women answered the call to rescue their fellow citizens. 
The events pictured range from the tragic 1958 fire at Our Lady of the 
Angels school in Chicago to the events of September 11th, 2001. In each 
of these emergencies, firefighters have selflessly risked their lives 
so that others may live. The words in the center of the mural say it 
all: ``First Ones In, Last Ones Out.''
  On December 7th last year, a fire broke out in Chicago's LaSalle Bank 
Building, a landmark skyscraper built in 1934. As flames and heavy 
smoke poured out of the 29th floor windows, dozens of Chicago 
firefighters entered the building. These heroes showed exceptional 
professionalism and valor as they evacuated all 45 stories of the 
building and extinguished the fire. Of the 37 people injured in the 
fire, 22 were Chicago firefighters. As a direct result of their swift 
response and expertise, no lives were lost in one of the city's worst 
fires in recent memory.
  Chicago firefighters receive a great deal of attention when handling 
major events such as the LaSalle Bank fire, but perhaps their greatest 
achievement is in the quiet work of prevention, inspection and 
education. Fire-related fatalities in Chicago are at a 25-year low, 
thanks to improvements in building safety and community outreach 
efforts by local firehouses to schools, senior centers and neighborhood 
associations. Chicago's citizens are now better informed about how to 
prevent and handle emergency situations, and they view their local 
firehouse as an important and valuable resource in the neighborhood.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues calling up this important 
resolution today, and I look forward to working with them to provide 
America's firefighters with the support and resources they need to 
continue their heroic work.
  Mr. BACA. Madam. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 188, 
legislation that recognizes the courageous sacrifices of our nation's 
firefighters. I would like to thank the gentleman from Mississippi for 
introducing this symbolic and vital resolution.
  Every day, firefighters risk their lives protecting our families, our 
property and our way of life. They fight for our security, not because 
they have to, but because they choose to.
  Over the years in California, wildfires have destroyed homes, damaged 
properties and threatened the livelihood of thousands of families.
  In 2003, Southern California and the Inland Empire experienced 
devastation like never before. Wildfires burned more than 740,000 acres 
of forest. Nearly 3,600 homes were destroyed and many people lost their 
lives. At one point, nearly 16,000 firefighters were battling the 
blazes at the peak of devastation. Without the bravery and fortitude of 
our firefighters, the wildfires in Southern California would not have 
been extinguished.
  This exhibition in public service is not limited to my district or 
state. From the forests of California to the streets of New York City, 
firefighters selflessly put themselves in harm's way, believing in 
their call to duty.
  We owe a great deal of gratitude to these brave men and women who 
fight daily for our safety.
  Madam Speaker, I stand in strong support of this resolution and 
commend Congressman Thompson for his sponsorship. We need to continue 
to support individuals that are willing to stand on the line for us. I 
hope that my colleagues will join me in recognizing these selfless 
acts.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
dedicated men and women who serve my district, the State of 
Connecticut, and our nation as firefighters.
  Today, across the country, over 1.1 million career and volunteer 
firefighters stand ready to answer our calls for help. In 2003, our 
30,524 fire departments responded to 22.4 million alarms--an average of 
one every 20 seconds. They work and volunteer countless hours ensuring 
the safety of others, and if needed, are ready to risk their life to 
save another.
  Firefighters are truly on the front lines of protecting our 
communities and our nation,

[[Page 5735]]

and in recent years their role has extended beyond just putting out 
fires. Today, firefighters serve as the first responders for medical 
emergencies, provide search and rescue services to victims trapped in 
burning or collapsed buildings, handle hazardous materials and extract 
injured persons from car accidents. Above all else, they provide hope 
to those in need in times of danger and despair.
  I have met many of the men and women who serve as firefighters in the 
first district of Connecticut, and I am proud to represent such brave 
and dedicated public servants. Each and every day, these selfless 
heroes give their all to protect our communities and our families. I 
thank them for their service and urge all of my colleagues to support 
H. Res. 188.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 188, 
a resolution to honor and recognize firefighters for their many 
contributions throughout the history of the Nation. As a member of the 
Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I commend the service and honorable 
duty firefighters across the country provide to our communities. I am 
especially proud of the firefighters and fire departments that protect 
and look after the 12th Congressional District of Illinois.
  For the fire service to maintain a strong voice in the federal 
discourse on homeland security issues, we must have a strong U.S. Fire 
Administration and sufficient funding for personnel, vehicles, and 
equipment. As a result, I have continually supported the Assistance to 
Firefighters Grants program and have been very successful in helping 
many departments in Southern Illinois secure grants to improve their 
operations each fiscal year. Additionally, I am a cosponsor of several 
bills in the l09th Congress to aid firefighters and fire departments to 
ensure they are properly equipped to protect themselves and their 
communities.
  I am pleased the House of Representatives is considering H. Res. 188 
today, and urge my colleagues to support the passage of the bill.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I stand today in support of 
H. Res. 188 which recognizes and honors our nation's firefighters for 
the many contributions throughout our nation's history. Their great 
efforts range from ground support following the destruction of the 
World Trade Center in New York to relief efforts following the Tsunami 
of the Coast of Ache Indonesia. Not only do our nation's firefighters 
contribute on an international scale, but they also support our local 
communities in times of need and distress.
  In January of this year, in my district, I joined forces with local 
humanitarian organizations, and federal, state, and local officials to 
conduct a medical relief drive for the Tsunami (in Indonesia) victims. 
To this end, I also worked closely with the City of Houston's Fire 
Department. They were very instrumental in helping to receive medical 
supplies and other items for the victims. My sincerest thanks goes out 
to Fire Chief Phil Boriskie and to the City of Houston for their 
efforts and strong commitment to providing relief for Tsunami victims.
  Currently there are over 1.1 million firefighters in our nation, and 
75 percent are volunteers. These are individuals who put there life on 
the line everyday. They deserve all the honor and notoriety we can give 
them.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Miller of Michigan). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 188.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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