H. Res. 492
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
July 22, 2002.
Whereas on September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four ci-
vilian 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 Stat-
en 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’ col-
lapse 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 ef-
fects, and evidence from what is now considered to be
history’s largest crime scene;
•HRES 492 EH
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’ col-
lapse, 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 Cen-
ter victims whose remains have been identified and re-
turned 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, me-
ticulousness, 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 vic-
tim’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 willing-
ness to give of themselves to help others has shown that
•HRES 492 EH
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 oper-
ations 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 re-
cover the remains and effects of the victims, following the ter-
rorist 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.