IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 856 

Recognizing the Commissioning of the USS New York LPD 21. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 22, 2009 

Mr. NADLER of New York (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ARCURI, Mr. 

BARTLETT, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. COOPER, Mr. 

COURTNEY, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FORBES, 

Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. 

JONES, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. LEE of New York, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. 

MAFFEI, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MASSA, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. 

MCMAHON, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MURPHY of New York, Mr. 

ORTIZ, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. ROONEY, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. 

TAYLOR, Mr. TONKO, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. WEINER, Mr. 

WITTMAN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. HUNTER) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the Commissioning of the USS New York LPD 

21. 

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

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

into the Pentagon, and a fourth near Shanksville, Pennsylvania; 


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•HRES 856 IH 

Whereas nearly 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 

2001, in the most lethal terrorist attack ever committed 

against the United States; 

Whereas then-Governor George Pataki requested the Navy 

name a ship involved in counterterrorism efforts after the 

State of New York shortly after September 11, 2001; 

Whereas, on September 6, 2002, the Secretary of the Navy 

announced the name of the fifth vessel of the San Antonio-class Amphibious Transport Dock ships would be 

named USS New York LPD 21; 

Whereas, on March 1, 2008, the USS New York LPD 21 

was christened at the Avondale Shipyard in Avondale, 

Louisiana, by Mrs. Dotty England, in a ceremony attended by officials of the New York City fire and police 

departments as well as surviving family and friends of 

those lost on September 11, 2001; 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21’s bow is comprised of 

7.5 tons of steel forged from the wreckage of the World 

Trade Center and erected onto the vessel in conjunction 

with a dignified ceremony conducted on September 9, 

2003, and attended by officials of the New York City fire 

and police departments as well as surviving family and 

friends of those lost on September 11, 2001; 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21 is the newest entry to 

the Navy’s fleet of San Antonio-class Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD) warships; 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21 will serve as an integral part of Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Strike 

Groups and will be able to deploy 700 Marines and associated equipment of the Strike Group Marine Expeditionary Unit; 


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•HRES 856 IH 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21’s primary mission will 

be to deploy amphibious assault capability anywhere in 

the world, on short notice, and that this force is the only 

force in the United States Armed Forces with such capability, and that such amphibious operation is central and 

key to suppression of terrorist organizations; 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21 displaces 24,900 tons 

at sea, with the capability of cruising at speeds in excess 

of 22 knots; 

Whereas everyday, the men and women of the United States 

Armed Forces continue global efforts to protect and defend the United States; 

Whereas nearly 10 percent of the commissioning crew of USS 

New York LPD 21 hail from the Empire State; 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21 has a main passageway 

dubbed ‘‘Broadway’’, the ship’s insignia references the 

Statue of Liberty, the Twin Towers, the New York Police 

Department, and the Fire Department of New York, and 

the galley features a pre-9/11 neon outline of the city; 

Whereas the motto of the USS New York LPD 21 is 

‘‘Strength Forged Through Sacrifice. Never Forget’’; and 

Whereas the USS New York LPD 21 will be officially commissioned November 7, 2009, Commander F. Curtis 

Jones, United States Navy, commanding, a native son of 

New York, in New York waters on Pier 88 on the West 

Side of New York City next to the USS Intrepid CV 11: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the commissioning of the USS 

3 New York LPD 21; 


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1 (2) congratulates the captain and commis2 sioning crew of the USS New York LPD 21 on the 

3 occasion of their vessel entering into the service of 

4 the United States Navy; 

5 (3) recognizes the sacrifices made by the men 

6 and women in uniform who put themselves in harm’s 

7 way in order to protect and defend the United 

8 States; 

9 (4) honors those who lost their lives at the 

10 World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, 

11 Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001; and 

12 (5) recommits itself to the counter-terrorism 

13 mission of the USS New York LPD 21 and all the 

14 members of the United States Armed Forces. 

Æ 


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