H. Res. 175

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 12, 2006.

Whereas on February 26, 1993, terrorists detonated a bomb 

in the basement of the World Trade Center in an attempt 

to destroy the building, killing six and wounding hundreds; 

Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four civilian aircraft, causing two of them to crash into the twin 

towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a 

third into the Pentagon, and a fourth in rural southwest 

Pennsylvania; 

Whereas nearly 3,000 people were killed at the World Trade 

Center site in the most lethal terrorist attack ever committed against the United States; 

Whereas the attack on the World Trade Center resulted in 

great destruction and damage to homes, churches, 

schools, and commercial and retail buildings, causing the 

loss of approximately sixty thousand jobs and many businesses in Lower Manhattan, and wounding incalculable 

numbers of citizens of New York; 

Whereas the human and emotional toll of this attack has 

been deeply and profoundly felt in New York, by Americans across the United States, and people throughout the 

world; 
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Whereas the attacks united Americans with all good citizens 

of the world, regardless of political, ethnic, or religious 

persuasion or affiliation; 

Whereas in the months and years since the historic events of 

February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001, hundreds 

of thousands of people have visited the World Trade Center site to mourn the dead, to pay tribute to the heroic 

action and sacrifice of the firefighters, police, emergency 

personnel, and other responders, and to attempt to understand the nature of this attack on the United States; 

Whereas many citizens, family members, local residents and 

businesses, professional organizations, State and local officials, and constituencies around the Nation and the 

world are deeply interested in the successful planning and 

rebuilding process at the World Trade Center site; 

Whereas a broad and deep consensus has emerged in the 

United States that this is a sacred site that cannot be 

forgotten and must be honored; 

Whereas the site of the World Trade Center requires the 

highest form of national recognition; 

Whereas the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation has 

been established to create a permanent memorial at the 

site to honor the victims and heroes of the attacks; 

Whereas Presidents Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, George 

H.W. Bush, and William J. Clinton serve as Honorary 

Members of the Board of the Foundation to support its 

mission, underscoring the wide support of the effort to 

build a permanent and appropriate memorial at the 

World Trade Center site; 

Whereas in April 2003, the Lower Manhattan Development 

Corporation launched the largest design competition in 
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history for the creation of a permanent memorial, with 

designs submitted by 5,201 individual participants from 

63 nations and 49 States; and 

Whereas after a distinguished 13-member jury reviewed every 

submission, on January 6, 2004, the jury announced the 

winning memorial design, ‘‘Reflecting Absence’’ by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes the importance of establishing a national memorial at the World Trade Center site, as the 

highest honor the Nation can confer to commemorate 

and mourn the events of February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001; and 

(2) supports the efforts of the World Trade Center 

Memorial Foundation to build a permanent memorial at 

the World Trade Center site. 

Attest:

Clerk.