[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11041-11042]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               MOURNING LOSS OF LIFE ON ASIANA FLIGHT 214

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi) for 1 minute.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend as the Nation celebrated 
the Fourth of July, the birth of our country, tragedy struck. As all 
the world knows, a plane crash landed at the San Francisco airport, 
something very uncommon, but something that shared a common interest.

                              {time}  1030

  Our thoughts and prayers today rest with the passengers and the crew 
who were on board Asiana Airlines Flight 214, with the families of the 
victims of the horrific tragedy, the men and women recovering in 
hospitals across the Bay Area.
  Our prayers are with the families of the two young girls, Ye Mengyuan 
and Wang Linjia, who lost their lives on Saturday. Indeed, we know that 
no words can console their loved ones today. All of San Francisco 
shares in their shock and grief. We will do everything we can do to 
care for those affected and their families.
  The sudden crash shook the grounds of San Francisco International 
Airport, testing the training, strength and courage of those who would 
be the first on the scene.
  As a Representative of San Francisco in the Congress, a privilege I 
share with Congresswoman Jackie Speier--the airport is actually in 
Congresswoman Speier's district--we will join together to observe and 
mourn the losses tomorrow when some more of our Members are here, back 
from the Arizona tragedy.
  But for now, I wanted not another day to go by before commending the 
crew. They performed so heroically. The crew was so magnificent, and a 
reminder to us that the first responsibility of the crew is safety, 
that they are trained for it, and they performed magnificently. And the 
flight attendant, the lead flight attendant was the last person to 
leave the plane, not until everyone else was off.
  First responders responded in characteristic fashion, with bravery, 
with valor, without regard for their own safety, with their sights set 
only on the safety of others. Their stories are so remarkable. Their 
stories are so remarkable about what they saw on the plane and how 
people responded.
  And it was also the coolness and the cooperation, not only of the 
crew, but of many of the passengers, that enabled so many people to be 
saved. Seeing the sight of the plane and the crash, it was almost 
miraculous to think that so many people would survive the crash.
  There was only minutes to react, and within minutes, the flight crew 
and the San Francisco and San Mateo police officers and fire 
departments were climbing up the rescue chutes, running through smoke-
filled aisles and leading passengers out to safety.
  Within minutes, Fire Rescue Captain Tony Molloy and his team had set 
up a triage-and-treatment area so they could immediately evacuate the 
most severely injured.
  Within minutes, the air traffic controllers and airport staff were 
effectively diverting traffic and travelers to secure the area.
  Within minutes, local hospital staff had prepared, made ready and 
visited to provide the injured with the necessary care and support.
  As we speak, the injured are recovering at San Francisco General 
Hospital, the source of pride to us in San Francisco. It is a major 
trauma center. And if you have to go to a trauma center, San Francisco 
General is the gold standard.
  UCSF Medical Center, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Lucile Packard 
Children's Hospital, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, St. Francis Medical 
Center, California Pacific Medical Center.
  The swift and fearless response of each of the men and women who 
responded--each of these are heroes--saved the lives of many on the 
Asiana flight. Their actions are a hallmark of

[[Page 11042]]

their professions and a testimony to the strength and selflessness that 
defines the San Francisco Bay Area.
  The story of Asiana Flight 214 is not over. Long after the news of 
the tragedy fades from the front pages and nightly news reports, the 
National Transportation Safety Board will continue to investigate what 
happened, and we will all work to ensure that it never happens again.
  I want to particularly commend the Board and Chairwoman Deborah 
Hersman for being on the scene immediately with an investigative team 
in the most professional, thorough manner.
  We will continue to work with the Federal Aviation Administration and 
San Francisco International Airport to ensure that our planes are 
secure, our passengers are safe, our U.S. aviation remains the safest 
way to travel.
  It's been decades since we had any incident at the San Francisco 
airport. I can't remember any.
  We will honor the acts of the first responders, the flight crew, the 
flight crew, the flight crew--weren't they magnificent, weren't they 
all--the traffic controllers, the hospital staffs.
  We will remember those lost in the tragedy and will do what we can to 
always ensure the safety and security of all travelers in America.
  Again, our prayers are with those who suffered through that tragedy 
and the trauma that many experienced that is beyond physical but, 
hopefully, comforted by the prayers and interest of others.

                          ____________________