III

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 233

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 31, 2001

Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the profound sorrow of the Congress for the

death and injuries suffered by first responders as they

endeavored to save innocent people in the aftermath of

the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and

the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Whereas law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel are collectively known as first responders;

Whereas following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade

Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, first

responders reacted immediately in evacuating and rescuing innocent people from the buildings;
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Whereas first responders also arrived quickly at the crash site

of United Airlines flight 93 in southwestern Pennsylvania;

Whereas if it were not for the heroic efforts of first responders immediately after the terrorist attacks, numerous additional casualties would have resulted from the attacks;

Whereas as the first emergency personnel to arrive at the

scenes of the terrorist attacks, first responders risked

their lives in their efforts to save others;

Whereas while first responders were bravely conducting the

evacuation and rescue after the terrorist attack on the

World Trade Center, the two towers of that complex collapsed, and many first responders themselves became victims of the attack;

Whereas the everyday well-being, security, and safety of

Americans depend upon the official duties of first responders;

Whereas in addition to their official duties, first responders

around the Nation participate in planning, training, and

exercises to respond to terrorist attacks;

Whereas emergency managers, public health officials, and

medical care providers also invest significant time in

planning, training, and exercises to better respond to terrorist attacks in the United States;

Whereas the Nation has not forgotten the heroic efforts of

first responders after the bombing of the World Trade

Center on February 26, 1993, and the bombing of the

Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City,

Oklahoma, on April 19, 1995;

Whereas there are numerous Federal programs that help prepare first responders from across the Nation, including
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the Domestic Preparedness Program and other training

and exercise programs administered by the Department

of Justice;

Whereas there are also domestic preparedness programs administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which together with the programs of the Department

of Justice support State and local first responders with

funding, training, equipment acquisition, technical assistance, exercise planning, and execution;

Whereas many of the first responders who participate in such

programs do so on their own time;

Whereas an effective response of local first responders to a

terrorist attack saves lives; and

Whereas in response to a terrorist attack, first responders are

exposed to a high risk of bodily harm and death as the

first line of defense of the United States in managing the

aftermath of the attack: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) expresses its profound sorrow for the death

4 and injuries suffered by first responders as they en5 deavored to save innocent people in the aftermath of

6 the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and

7 the Pentagon on September 11, 2001;

8 (2) expresses its deepest sympathies to the fam9 ilies and loved ones of the fallen first responders;

10 (3) honors and commends the first responders

11 who participated in evacuating and rescuing the in-
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1 nocent people in the World Trade Center and the

2 Pentagon after the terrorist attacks;

3 (4) encourages the President to issue a procla4 mation calling upon the people of the United States

5 to pay respect to the first responder community for

6 their service in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks

7 and their continuing efforts to save lives; and

8 (5) encourages all levels of government to con9 tinue to work together to effectively coordinate emer10 gency preparedness by providing the infrastructure,

11 funding, and interagency communication and co12 operation necessary to ensure that when another ter13 rorist attack occurs, first responders will be as pre14 pared as possible to respond to the attack effectively.

Passed the House of Representatives October 30,

2001.

Attest: JEFF TRANDAHL,

Clerk.