H. Con. Res. 243 Agreed to April 18, 2002

One Hundred Seventh Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the twenty-third day of January, two thousand and two

Concurrent Resolution

Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked and destroyed

4 civilian aircraft, crashing 2 of them into the towers of the

World Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon,

and a fourth in rural southwest Pennsylvania;

Whereas thousands of innocent Americans and many foreign

nationals were killed and injured as a result of these surprise

terrorist attacks, including the passengers and crews of the 4

aircraft, workers in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,

firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency assistance personnel, and bystanders;

Whereas hundreds of public safety officers were killed and injured

as a result of these terrorist attacks because they immediately

rushed to the aid of innocent civilians who were imperiled when

the terrorists first launched their attacks, many of whom would

perish when the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed

upon them;

Whereas thousands more public safety officers are risking their

own lives and long-term health in sifting through the aftermath

and rubble of these terrorist attacks to recover the dead;

Whereas the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2001

(Public Law 107–12; 115 Stat. 20) authorizes the President to

award and present, in the name of Congress, a Medal of Valor

to public safety officers for extraordinary valor above and beyond

the call of duty;

Whereas the Attorney General of the United States has discretion

to increase the number of recipients of the Medal of Valor under

that Act beyond that recommended by the Medal of Valor Review

Board in extraordinary cases in any given year;

Whereas the terrorist attacks in the United States of September

11, 2001, and their aftermath constitute the single most deadly

assault on our American homeland in our Nation’s history; and

Whereas those public safety officers who have perished and those

who lead the efforts to rescue innocent civilians from the terrorist

attacks, are the first casualties and veterans of America’s new

war against terrorism, which was authorized by the authorization

for use of military force enacted September 14, 2001: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the President should award and present, in the name

of Congress, a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to those
H. Con. Res. 243—2

public safety officers who were killed in the terrorist attacks

in the United States on September 11, 2001; and

(2) the President should award and present a Public Safety

Officer Medal of Valor to those public safety officers who have

earned special recognition for outstanding valor above and

beyond the call of duty as named—

(A) in consultation with the Mayor of the City of New

York and Governor of the State of New York for the attacks

on New York—

(i) Commissioner of the New York City Police

Department;

(ii) Commissioner of the New York City Fire

Department; and

(iii) Executive Director of the Port Authority of

New York and New Jersey;

(B) in consultation with the Chair of the Washington

Metropolitan Council of Governments, including the sitting

Chairs of the Police and Fire Chief Committees; and the

Fort Myer Federal Fire Chief, and the Governor of the

Commonwealth of Virginia for the attack at the Pentagon—

(i) Fire Chief of Arlington County, Virginia; and

(ii) Police Chief of Arlington County, Virginia; and

(C) in consultation with the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the plane crash in

Pennsylvania—

(i) Commandant of the Pennsylvania State Police;

and

(ii) Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National

Guard,

or any of their designees, for their heroic actions on September

11, 2001, and thereafter during the rescue and recovery missions.

Attest:

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Attest:

Secretary of the Senate.