H. Res. 492

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

July 22, 2002.

Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four civilian aircraft, crashing two of them into the towers of

the World Trade Center in New York City, causing their

destruction;

Whereas these were by far the deadliest terrorist attacks ever

launched against the United States, claiming the lives of

more than 3,000 innocent people, of whom 2,823 died in

New York City;

Whereas the debris from the destruction of the World Trade

Center towers was taken to Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New York, for cleanup and investigation and

to continue the recovery of victim remains and effects

that could not be performed at the site of the towers’ collapse in Manhattan;

Whereas over the 10-month period following September 11,

2001, more than 1,000 workers at the landfill, around

the clock, every day, tirelessly and carefully sifted

through all 1.62 million tons of debris from the World

Trade Center site, searching for remains, personal effects, and evidence from what is now considered to be

history’s largest crime scene;
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Whereas these workers came from 28 New York City, State,

and Federal agencies to participate in these cleanup and

recovery efforts;

Whereas these workers recovered approximately 20 percent of

all the victim remains recovered following the towers’ collapse, as well as more than 54,000 personal items, from

wedding rings and photographs to driver licenses and

keys;

Whereas the remains of 188 of the 1,215 World Trade Center victims whose remains have been identified and returned to their families were recovered at the landfill;

Whereas the resolve of the Nation, and especially of New

York City, has been strengthened by the dedication, meticulousness, compassion, and tenderness of those who

worked tirelessly, day after day, for 10 months to retrieve

every item possible that might give the families and

friends of those lost some solace or closure;

Whereas these workers sought to help victims’ families by

finding something to help bring to rest lost husbands,

wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters,

aunts, uncles, lifelong friends, and coworkers, perhaps

even those close to the workers themselves;

Whereas the long hours, the hard work, and the dedication

of these workers over the 10 months following September

11, 2001, brought hundreds of families some sort of

peace, giving them back something personal of lost loved

ones, whether through a positive identification of a victim’s remains or the return of something so simple and

yet so meaningful as a wedding ring, a watch, or a wallet;

Whereas the sacrifice of all these workers and their willingness to give of themselves to help others has shown that
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the best of what mankind has to offer can come even

from the worst mankind can do; and

Whereas on July 15, 2002, the cleanup and recovery operations at Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New

York, came to a somber conclusion: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives thanks and

pays tribute to all those whose 10 months of efforts at Fresh

Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New York, to clean up the

debris from the site of the World Trade Center, and to recover the remains and effects of the victims, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, helped to bring healing

and closure to the victims’ families and loved ones, to New

York, and to the Nation.

Attest:

Clerk.