[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 1495-1499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           9/11 MEMORIAL ACT

  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3036) to designate the National September 11 Memorial 
located at the World Trade Center site in New York City, New York, as a 
national memorial, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3036

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

        This Act may be cited as the ``9/11 Memorial Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       For purposes of this Act:
       (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
     nonprofit organization as defined in section 501(c)(3) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)) in 
     existence on the date of enactment of this Act.
       (2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map titled ``National 
     September 11 Memorial Proposed Boundary'', numbered 903/
     128928, and dated June 2015.
       (3) National september 11 memorial.--The term ``National 
     September 11 Memorial'' means the area approximately bounded 
     by Fulton, Greenwich, Liberty and West Streets as generally 
     depicted on the map.
       (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MEMORIAL.

       (a) Designation.--The National September 11 Memorial is 
     hereby designated as a national memorial.
       (b) Map.--The map shall be available for public inspection 
     and kept on file at the appropriate office of the Secretary.
       (c) Effect of Designation.--The national memorial 
     designated under this section shall not be a unit of the 
     National Park System and the designation of the national 
     memorial shall not be construed to require or authorize 
     Federal funds to be expended for any purpose related to the 
     national memorial except as provided under section 4.

     SEC. 4. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR CERTAIN MEMORIALS.

       (a) Competitive Grants.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary may award a single grant per 
     year through a competitive process to an eligible entity for 
     the operation and maintenance of any memorial located within 
     the United States established to commemorate the events of 
     and honor--

[[Page 1496]]

       (1) the victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade 
     Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 on 
     September 11, 2001; and
       (2) the victims of the terrorist attack on the World Trade 
     Center on February 26, 1993.
       (b) Availability.--Funds made available under this section 
     shall remain available until expended.
       (c) Criteria.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
     Secretary shall give greatest weight in the selection of 
     eligible entities using the following criteria:
       (1) Experience in managing a public memorial that will 
     benefit the largest number of visitors each calendar year.
       (2) Experience in managing a memorial of significant size 
     (4 acres or more).
       (3) Successful coordination and cooperation with Federal, 
     State, and local governments in operating and managing the 
     memorial.
       (4) Ability and commitment to use grant funds to enhance 
     security at the memorial.
       (5) Ability to use grant funds to increase the numbers of 
     economically disadvantaged visitors to the memorial and 
     surrounding areas.
       (d) Summaries.--Not later than 30 days after the end of 
     each fiscal year in which an eligible entity obligates or 
     expends any part of a grant under this section, the eligible 
     entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary and Congress 
     a summary that--
       (1) specifies the amount of grant funds obligated or 
     expended in the preceding fiscal year;
       (2) specifies the purpose for which the funds were 
     obligated or expended; and
       (3) includes any other information the Secretary may 
     require to more effectively administer the grant program.
       (e) Sunset.--The authority to award grants under this 
     section shall expire on the date that is 7 years after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pittenger). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. MacArthur) and the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I was working in New York City in the fall of 2001 when 
terrorists tore a hole in our skyline and nearly 3,000 Americans lost 
their lives. Like many others, I lost people that I knew. For many, 
they lost their dearest loved ones--their soulmate, mother, father, 
brother, sister, children, child, friend.
  All of us were moved by stories of heroism that followed that event--
hundreds of firefighters and police and other first responders who gave 
their own lives to save others.
  In the months that followed, I remember coming around that site every 
morning as I went to work because I couldn't take the tunnel anymore. 
It was closed. I would take the ferry from New York to New Jersey. We 
would come around the tip of Manhattan. Every morning as we passed the 
World Trade Center site, a hush would fall on that ferry boat, and 
people would ponder what happened there. That went on as autumn turned 
into winter and winter turned into spring, month after month, as we 
watched the seemingly endless restoration of that tragic site.
  Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2011--10 years later--the National 
September 11 Memorial opened. It was erected to remember those who 
fell, to recognize the endurance of the survivors, to honor the bravery 
of those who risked their lives, and often lost their lives, to save 
others, and, above all, to remember the power of our free Nation to 
overcome evil with good. It stands as a reminder to every generation 
that we must never forget and we must never falter.
  Mr. Speaker, private citizens with deep concern erected that 
memorial. I applaud them for their good work. But now it is our part to 
preserve and protect this hallowed ground and to answer this national 
tragedy with national support. The National 9/11 Memorial at the World 
Trade Center Act recognizes this site as a national memorial. It 
provides for funding for security and operations.
  I want to thank the many who have endorsed this bill. Eighty-two 
Members of this Chamber have cosponsored it. Police organizations have 
gotten behind it, including the National Association of Police 
Organizations and the Fraternal Order of Police, veterans 
organizations, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Vets of America, 
Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New 
York, and, most importantly, nearly a dozen family and friend support 
groups of those that were most deeply impacted by 9/11.
  Private donors and concerned citizens have done their part at this 
site, and they continue to. But now it is our solemn duty, I believe, 
to honor the fallen and to protect the living.
  I urge my colleagues to pass the National 9/11 Memorial at the World 
Trade Center Act.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill, as we know, designates the 9/11 Memorial at the World 
Trade Center as the National September 11 Memorial and authorizes a 
grant program of up to $25 million per year for the next 7 years to 
support the operation and the maintenance of the memorial.
  The bill was amended at markup to make the grant program available to 
other September 11 memorials located in the United States. Money for 
the grant program will be subject to appropriation and come out of the 
overall budget of the Department of Interior.
  I want to thank and congratulate my colleague from New York, 
Representative Nadler, as the lead Democratic cosponsor. He has 
diligently guided this bill through the legislative process. It is 
because of his hard work and advocacy that it has come this far.
  September 11 both rattled and united this country like few other 
events in our history. We still live with the repercussions, and the 
memorial is a fitting tribute and a solemn reminder.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National 9/
11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act.
  The events of September 11 continue to stir emotions for Americans 
when we think about that day's tragic losses, remarkable acts of 
bravery, and the stark reminders that life is precious and evil is 
real.
  As a Nation, we have pledged to ``Never Forget'' what happened on 
September 11, and today, by passing this legislation, we can put our 
actions behind that sentiment.
  2016 marks the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the 15th 
anniversary of 9/11. Just as the USS Arizona provides a place for 
future generations to understand where--and more importantly how and 
why--we were attacked in 1941, the National September 11 Memorial gives 
Americans a place to understand the tragedy of that day and ongoing 
sacrifices of the United States Armed Forces. Indeed, December 7 and 
September 11 are now two dates that will live in infamy.

                              {time}  1700

  I thank my colleague, Tom MacArthur, for introducing this 
legislation, and I thank everyone from the National September 11th 
Memorial and Museum for all of their hard work.
  I have been to the Memorial and have felt the incredibly emotional 
effect it has had on each visitor. Unfortunately, many of our enemies 
see this symbol of our Nation's strength and resolve as a target, and, 
as such, the Memorial requires a high level of security in order to 
keep its over 6 million annual visitors safe. This legislation ensures 
the Memorial will receive the support it needs to provide a safe 
experience for every visitor who passes through, whether he be His 
Holiness, Pope Francis, or whether he be the young schoolchild who was 
not yet been born on September 11, 2001.
  I would like to take a moment to recognize a very special person, Rob 
O'Neill, a former member of SEAL Team 6, who is best known for his 
actions in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The 9/11 Memorial has 
a special place in his heart, and he has been a

[[Page 1497]]

strong advocate for this bill. He has told me and others that the site 
is important to him and to his fellow special operators. It helps 
signify the cause for which they were fighting. In fact, the shirt he 
wore on the mission is on display at the museum, along with other 
artifacts from 9/11 and from the many years since, chronicling how 
Americans have pulled together to support each other, to secure our 
Nation, and to re-dedicate ourselves to liberty and justice. So I thank 
Mr. O'Neill for his service and for his sacrifice.
  Once again, I convey my support for this bill, and I encourage all of 
my colleagues to pass the 9/11 Memorial Act.
  I thank Tricia Evans and Ian Foley, who are on my staff, for their 
hard work on this bill.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not extend to 
Representative MacArthur my appreciation for his leadership and for 
bringing the bill to this point as well.
  I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Nadler), whom I thank for his leadership and hard work in getting 
this bill to this point.
  Mr. NADLER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, more than 14 years ago, two jet planes were deliberately 
crashed into the World Trade Center--killing thousands of innocent 
people. A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, and a fourth plane, 
likely destined for this very Capitol complex in which we now stand, 
was brought down by a group of courageous passengers in a field in 
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
  As I do today, I represented Ground Zero--the World Trade Center 
area--on September 11, 2001. In the hours immediately after the attack, 
I left Washington and took the last train back to my home in New York. 
I will never forget the moment I first saw the ravaged skyline of Lower 
Manhattan from the train windows. Normally, on the train, while going 
between Philadelphia and New York, I would look to see the first 
glimpse I could catch of the Twin Towers. Now what you could see were 
not the Twin Towers but long, tall, billowing clouds of smoke that were 
going straight up and then were stretching down the Jersey Shore. The 
Twin Towers had been replaced by the brutal glow of raging fires and of 
black, billowing smoke.
  The train that left at 10 o'clock arrived at 6 p.m. We had been held 
up in Baltimore while they walked the tracks, looking for bombs. Coming 
out of Penn Station at 6 o'clock was like a scene from the movie ``On 
the Beach'' for those who remember that movie. Nothing was moving. The 
city at 33rd Street and Eighth Avenue seemed completely empty--no 
people, no cars, no buses. There was nothing moving as if it were 
completely depopulated. To get home, I had to call a friend to come 
pick me up.
  When I went down to the World Trade Center the next morning, the 
scene was absolutely horrible. There was fire, smoke, debris, twisted 
metal, human remains--total devastation. Yet, even then, there were 
signs of hope. Firefighters, police, Emergency Medical Technicians, 
ironworkers, and construction workers of all types rushed to Ground 
Zero from around the country to offer their help. Messages of support 
and comfort flooded in from all 50 States. The American people were 
united and determined to help New York get back on its feet. The attack 
may have occurred in my district, but it was an attack on our Nation as 
a whole, and we all recognized that.
  In the years since the attacks, America has acted as a Nation to help 
rebuild New York and to support the responders, survivors, and families 
of the victims. Last year, Congress reauthorized the James Zadroga 9/11 
Health and Compensation Act so as to provide health care and support 
the 33,000 responders and survivors who now live in all 50 States and 
in 429 congressional districts. By passing a permanent health program 
and reauthorizing the Victim Compensation Fund, Congress provided peace 
of mind for tens of thousands of brave Americans.
  In addition to making our responders and survivors whole, Congress 
invested billions of dollars to help rebuild Lower Manhattan. One World 
Trade Center now fills the hole that was left in our skyline when the 
towers fell, and businesses that were shuttered after the attack are 
reopened and are thriving. In what was once the shadow of the towers, 
there now stands a comprehensive museum that is dedicated to sharing 
the stories of September 11th and the bravery of those who risked 
everything to protect their fellow Americans on that day and on the 
days following.
  In place of the smoking hole that Congressman MacArthur and I saw day 
after day in Lower Manhattan, there now exists a somber and inspiring 
memorial. It is a site of remembrance and hope--a place for every 
American to come and reflect as to what happened on that September 
morning and to renew our promise to never forget the events of that 
day. It is a national memorial for a national tragedy.
  That is why I am pleased to cosponsor the legislation, introduced by 
my colleague from New Jersey, to provide Federal recognition and 
support for the memorial. This legislation will help ensure the 
memorial continues to provide a sacred and inspiring spot for 
generations to come.
  I appreciate the bipartisan support from the members of the Natural 
Resources Committee and from the House leadership in bringing this bill 
to the floor today. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the 
House Appropriations Committee every year to ensure that the National 
9/11 Memorial and Museum receives appropriate levels of funding. I will 
also work with my colleagues to maintain open communications with the 
Department of the Interior to ensure the money is spent wisely and 
achieves our shared goal of ensuring the memorial remains a spot of 
reflection and peace and is accessible to millions of visitors every 
day.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and provide the recognition 
and support this memorial deserves.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge Representative Nadler, and 
I thank him for his support in this process.
  I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan).
  Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago this September 11th, our 
country suffered the most deadly and devastating attack since its 
birth. Terrorists chose the Twin Towers because they stood proud and 
they stood tall. They stood as symbols of the raw power of people free 
to pursue their dreams, to live their values, and to practice their 
faiths.
  When the towers fell, they took Americans from every corner of our 
Nation; and when the President stood atop a fire engine and spoke 
through a bullhorn to console a broken Nation, he spoke to every man, 
woman, and child in our United States who was suffering and was 
saddened by an unimaginable act of hate. Heroes from all over the 
country came to Lower Manhattan to sift through the rubble and pick up 
the pieces. It was a site of national tragedy, a site of national 
heroism, and it must also be the site of a national memorial. It is 
only fitting that the 9/11 Memorial receives proper funding just like 
every other national memorial. It is sacred ground, and it must be 
maintained accordingly. Also, annual security costs run into the 
millions of dollars as the site remains a top terrorist target.
  Mr. Speaker, terrorists may have attacked our country at three 
locations that day, but they also attacked the spirit inside all of us. 
I encourage every Member of this body to vote for this legislation and 
to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to see what I and Representative 
Nadler see every day.
  I thank Representative MacArthur for introducing this legislation, 
and I again thank--always--the heroes of that fateful day.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. I thank the ranking member.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3036, the National 9/11 
Memorial at the World Trade Center Act, which was introduced by my 
friends Congressmen Tom MacArthur and Jerry Nadler--two sentinels of 
Americans' liberty and freedom.

[[Page 1498]]

  President Bush traveled to the site with Democrats and Republicans. I 
have never seen in my experience here no other effort close to it of 
how we were united. We accomplished so much when we were united, and we 
learned to respect each other even more. On that day, our lives, our 
country, and the world changed forever. In the aftermath, Americans 
came together for a common purpose--to rescue, to rebuild, and to 
remember those we had lost--friends and neighbors, many of them. They 
were from all faiths, all persuasions.
  This memorial and the museum at the World Trade Center were 
constructed so that we would never forget those brothers and sisters, 
children and parents, cousins and colleagues. We called them that at 
the time; yet the further we get from 9/11 we very seldom refer to 
``sisters'' and ``brothers'' except for our relatives and our brave 
first responders who perished during one of the darkest moments in our 
Nation's history.
  Ensuring this Memorial site will be here for years to come will give 
millions of people around the world the opportunity to pay tribute to 
those who were lost and to find inspiration in how our Nation has 
recovered. As a proud supporter of our National Park Service, I know it 
will make sure the site remains a sacred place of healing and of hope 
as a national memorial.
  As a result, Mr. Speaker, I urge the swift passage of H.R. 3036 in 
order to solidify the memorial's standing, to honor the memories of 
those we lost, and to ensure future generations can learn about that 
tragic day.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New Jersey has 11\1/2\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Stefanik).
  Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3036, the 9/11 
Memorial Act.
  I thank my colleague, Mr. MacArthur, for his leadership on this 
incredibly important issue.
  Fifteen years ago on September 11th, every American will remember 
where he was when the horrifying news broke of these terrorist attacks. 
Mr. Speaker, as the youngest Member currently serving in Congress, I 
was in my high school English class when the horrible news was shared 
with my classmates from our teacher. I remember my schoolmates, crying, 
who couldn't get ahold of their older siblings, of their aunts and 
uncles, of their cousins who worked in the World Trade Center.
  On that horrifying day when terrorists attacked our Nation, we also 
saw true acts of heroism. As the workers of the World Trade Center were 
running out to escape, our first responders were running up the stairs 
to save their fellow Americans. Strangers helped fellow strangers 
escape the buildings. New Yorkers helped others walk miles home to get 
to their families.

                              {time}  1715

  New Yorkers will never forget the horrifying attacks. This Nation 
will never forget these horrifying attacks. The 9/11 memorial is truly 
hallowed ground.
  I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge passage 
of this legislation.
  This legislation, this 9/11 National Memorial, no matter what corner 
of this great Nation of ours we are from, we have a shared legacy here. 
That shared legacy is about sacrifice, heroism, and indeed loss as 
well.
  We have a shared future from this memorial about determination, 
resilience, and the very nature of this Nation to be hopeful and to 
look forward. To one another, we have a shared responsibility. This 
memorial will remind us of that and keep that thought very much alive 
in all of us.
  Again, let me congratulate and thank the sponsors of the legislation, 
Mr. Nadler and Mr. MacArthur, for their fine work and for bringing this 
before us today.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of my 
colleagues. Events like 9/11--and the world that it has brought us 
into--demand that we come together, and I am glad that we have done 
that on this bill. We have come together to honor the fallen and to 
protect the living.
  I urge my colleagues to join in making this the voice of this Chamber 
as we vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of 
H.R. 3036, The National 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act, 
and thank my colleagues Reps. MacArthur and Nadler for their leadership 
to bring this bill to the House floor.
  In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Congress has come 
together to rebuild New York and the Pentagon and support the 
responders, survivors, and families of the victims. Last year, we 
reauthorized the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, making 
the health care program essential permanent and extending the Victims 
Compensation Fund for an additional five years, with full funding.
  As a New Yorker, the memory of 9/11 continues to evoke pain and 
sorrow--and the Memorial at Ground Zero stirs these emotions like no 
other place. The dramatic reflecting pools are a sanctuary of calm 
within the bustle of lower Manhattan and a moving tribute to the 
thousands of innocent Americans lost in the attacks.
  This bill affirms our commitment to remember those lost on 9/11 by 
designating the site a national memorial and enabling the memorial to 
access the federal support it needs for security and maintenance. The 
9/11 Memorial is now among New York's most popular sites, with over 23 
million visitors since it opened in 2011. This designation will ensure 
that the site continues to welcome everyone who comes to remember those 
we have lost.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House 
Committee on Homeland Security and the Ranking Member of the Judiciary 
Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and 
Investigations, I rise in support of H.R. 3036, the ``National 9/11 
Memorial at the World Trade Center Act.''
  This bill will designate the National September 11 Memorial located 
at the World Trade Center site in New York City, New York, as a 
national memorial.
  H.R. 3036 authorizes the Secretary of Interior to award a grant in an 
amount not to exceed $25 million each fiscal year to the National 
September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation 
for the operation and maintenance of the memorial.
  Finally, the bill requires the National September 11 Memorial and 
Museum to report annually to the Interior Secretary and Congress on (1) 
the amount of grant funds expended; (2) the purpose for which the funds 
were used; and (3) any other information the Secretary may require.
  As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security since its 
creation, and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, 
Terrorism and Homeland Security, I strongly support this resolution.
  I will never forget September 11, 2001, a day on which I stood on the 
East Front steps of the Capitol on September 11, along with 150 Members 
of the House of Representatives, singing ``God Bless America.''
  September 11, 2001 remains a tragedy that defines our Nation's 
history since that fateful day for many reasons.
  This year marks the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that 
killed 2,977 men, women, and children.
  At the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, 2,753 people were 
killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines 
Flight 175 were intentionally crashed in the North and South towers.
  Of those who perished during the initial attacks and the subsequent 
collapses of the towers, 343 were New York City firefighters, another 
23 were New York City police officers and 37 others were officers at 
the Port Authority.
  The victims ranged in age from two to 85 years.
  At the Pentagon in Washington, 184 people were killed when hijacked 
American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building.
  Near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 40 passengers and crew members aboard 
United Airlines Flight 93 died when the plane crashed into a field.
  It is believed that the hijackers crashed the plane in that location, 
rather than their unknown target, after the passengers and crew 
attempted to retake control of the flight.
  The act of those passengers to stop the hijackers likely saved the 
lives of thousands of their fellow Americans that day.

[[Page 1499]]

  The heroic work done by the first responders who rushed into the 
burning Twin Towers and the Pentagon saved lives.
  We will forever remember the first responders who lost their lives in 
the line of duty on September 11.
  This Nation shall forever be grateful for the selfless sacrifice 
shown that day.
  That is why the National September 11 Memorial and Museum is so 
important.
  The National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center 
remembers and honors the thousands of innocent lives lost during the 
September 11th attacks, and the attacks of February 26, 1993.
  This Memorial is a testament to the triumph of human dignity over 
human depravity and affirms an unwavering commitment to the fundamental 
value of human life.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of The National 9/
11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act. This legislation would 
designate the site of the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center as a 
national memorial--providing it the national recognition and support it 
deserves as a lasting symbol of the lives we lost and the resilience 
with which our nation came together and pledged to emerge stronger in 
search of a more peaceful world.
  Like many New Yorkers, I know and have felt firsthand the lasting 
impacts of September 11, 2001. Among the almost 3,000 lives we lost 
that day was that of my cousin, John Moran, a second-generation 
firefighter and FDNY Battalion Chief. Not a day goes by that I don't 
think of my cousin and of the thousands of family members and loved 
ones we lost that day. But I also bear in mind each day the vow we made 
as a nation to never forget what happened and to protect the spirit of 
camaraderie that emerged from the attacks.
  The 9/11 Memorial serves as a place where we can remember and honor 
the brave lives we lost, as well as that spirit of unity and overcoming 
with which we moved forward as a nation. Because of the place the 
events of September 11, 2001 hold in our collective national history, 
the federal government should play a role in preserving this space and 
keeping what it represents at the forefront of our collective memory. 
By recognizing the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center as a 
national memorial, federal resources will be available to ensure the 
maintenance, security and accessibility of this site so that all people 
will have the opportunity to remember and honor our heroes. It is our 
duty to ensure that this sacred site and tribute receives the national 
upkeep and recognition it deserves.
  September 11th changed our lives as individuals and as Americans. We 
must actively seek to remind our nation of the resolution and sacrifice 
of the survivors, the victims, their families, and of our first 
responders. And we must also enshrine the courage and strength with 
which we stood up to hatred. Acting in a bipartisan manner to designate 
the 9/11 Memorial as a national memorial is an important step in this 
direction.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. MacArthur) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3036, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MacARTHUR. 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, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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