[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 415]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 21--RECOGNIZING THE UNCOMMON VALOR OF WESLEY AUTREY 
                         OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK

  Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 21

       Whereas Wesley Autrey is a citizen of New York, New York;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey is a veteran of the United States 
     Navy;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey has been a member in good standing of 
     the Construction and General Building Laborers' Local 79 
     since 1996;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey witnessed a fellow subway passenger 
     suffer from a seizure and fall onto the train tracks;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey was compelled by his belief that he 
     should ``do the right thing'' and serve as an example to his 
     2 young daughters;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey demonstrated uncommon valor and 
     tremendous bravery in diving onto the train tracks to save 
     the life of his fellow subway passenger only moments before 
     an incoming train passed over them;
       Whereas the beneficiary of Wesley Autrey's courageous 
     actions is now recovering at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital 
     Center, New York;
       Whereas Wesley Autrey has conducted himself with the utmost 
     humility in the midst of his newfound fame; and
       Whereas Wesley Autrey stands out as an example of 
     selflessness to members of his community, his State, and the 
     Nation: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes that Wesley Autrey acted heroically by 
     putting his own life at risk to save that of his fellow 
     citizen; and
       (2) expresses its deep appreciation for Wesley Autrey's 
     example and the values that his actions represent.

  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss a resolution I 
submitted on January 8 in recognition of the uncommon valor and 
tremendous bravery demonstrated by New York City resident Wesley 
Autrey.
  On January 2, 2007, Mr. Autrey and others stood on a platform in the 
137th Street subway station in Harlem, and watched as a young man 
suffering from a seizure fell onto the train tracks. Terrified by what 
he saw, Mr. Autrey heroically dove down onto the tracks, putting his 
own life in grave danger to save that of a stranger. Mr. Autrey covered 
the young man in the trough between the tracks as the incoming train 
screamed to a halt just inches above his head.
  Later, when asked about the courageous rescue, Mr. Autrey responded 
humbly, saying, ``I'm not looking at this like I'm the hero, cause the 
real heroes are the young men and women that are fighting in Iraq now. 
What I did is something that any New Yorker should do . . . if you see 
somebody in distress, do the right thing.''
  We could all learn from Wesley Autrey's example. A proud member of 
the Construction and General Building Laborers' Local 79, a veteran of 
the United States Navy, and a father of two young girls, Mr. Autrey--in 
both his heroic actions and his humble conduct in the midst of his 
newfound fame--represents values that all Americans should cherish and 
respect. His selflessness should be held up as an example to those in 
his community, his state and his country.
  Indeed, this resolution is just one fitting way in which to honor the 
uncommon valor and tremendous bravery demonstrated by Wesley Autrey 
when he dove in front of an incoming train to save the life of a 
stranger on January 2. I am hopeful that my Senate colleagues from both 
sides of the aisle will join me in honoring Mr. Autrey by moving this 
legislation as expeditiously as possible.

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