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 per-
sonnel, 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, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), 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 Common-
wealth 
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 mis-
sions.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.