I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4040
To authorize a national memorial to commemorate the final resting place 
of those lost at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2004
Mr. FOSSELLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize a national memorial to commemorate the final 
resting place of those lost at the World Trade Center 
on September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘September 11th He-
roes Memorial Park Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked 
4 civilian aircraft, crashing 2 of them into the tow-
ers of the World Trade Center in New York City, 
causing the destruction of the towers. 
(2) These were by far the deadliest terrorist at-
tacks ever launched against the United States, 
claiming the lives of more than 3,000 innocent peo-
ple, 2,797 of whom died in New York City. 
(3) The debris from the destruction of the 
World Trade Center towers was taken to a landfill 
on Staten Island, New York, for cleanup and inves-
tigation and to continue the recovery of victim re-
mains and effects that could not be performed at the 
site of the towers’ collapse in Manhattan. 
(4) Over the 10-month period following Sep-
tember 11, 2001, more than 1,000 people worked at 
the landfill around the clock every day, tirelessly and 
carefully sifting through all 1,620,000 tons of debris 
from the World Trade Center site searching for re-
mains, personal effects, and evidence from what is 
now considered to be history’s largest crime scene. 
(5) Approximately 20 percent of all the victim 
remains recovered following the towers’ collapse, as 
well as more than 54,000 personal items, from wed-
ding rings and photographs to driver licenses and 
keys were retrieved at the Staten Island site.
(6) The remains of 306 of the 1,423 World 
Trade Center victims whose remains have been iden-
tified and returned to their families were recovered 
at the Staten Island site. 
(7) Victims’ families were brought some sort of 
peace by being given back something personal of lost 
loved ones, whether through a positive identification 
of a victim’s remains or the return of something so 
simple and yet so meaningful as a wedding ring, a 
watch, or a wallet. 
(8) On July 15, 2002, after 10 months, the 
cleanup and recovery operations at the landfill on 
Staten Island, New York, came to a somber conclu-
sion. 
(9) The site commemorates those lost. The de-
termination of appropriate recognition there will be 
a slowly unfolding process in order to address the in-
terests and concerns of all interested parties. Appro-
priate national assistance and recognition must give 
ample opportunity for those involved to voice these 
broad concerns. 
(10) It is appropriate that the site be des-
ignated a unit of the National Park System. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows:
(1) To establish a national memorial to honor 
the final resting place of some of those lost at the 
World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. 
(2) To establish the memorial advisory commis-
sion to assist with consideration and formulation of 
plans for a permanent memorial to those lost at the 
World Trade Center, including its nature, design, 
and construction. 
(3) To authorize the Secretary of the Interior 
to coordinate and facilitate the activities of the Me-
morial Advisory Commission and administer a vic-
tim’s memorial at the site of the Fresh Kills Landfill 
operation on Staten Island, New York. 
SEC. 3. MEMORIAL TO HONOR THE FINAL RESTING PLACE 
OF THOSE LOST AT THE WORLD TRADE CEN-
TER ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. 
There is established a memorial at the Staten Island 
recovery site to honor the final resting place of those lost 
at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. 
SEC. 4. ADVISORY COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the ‘‘September 11th Heroes Me-
morial Park Advisory Commission’’ (hereafter in this Act 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Commission shall consist of 
15 members as follows: 
(1) The Director of the National Park Service, 
or the Director’s designee. 
(2) 7 members appointed by the Secretary of 
the Interior. 
(3) 5 members appointed by the Member of 
Congress representing the 13th Congressional Dis-
trict of the State of New York. 
(4) 1 member appointed by the mayor of the 
City of New York, New York. 
(5) 1 member appointed by the governor of the 
State of New York. 
(c) TERM.—The term of the members of the Commis-
sion shall be for the life of the Commission. 
(d) CHAIR.—The members of the Commission shall 
select the Chair of the Commission. 
(e) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the Commission 
shall not affect its powers if a quorum is present, but shall 
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. 
(f) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 
call of the Chairperson or a majority of the members, but 
not less often than quarterly. Notice of the Commission 
meetings and agendas for the meetings shall be published 
in local newspapers and in the Federal Register. Meetings
of New York’s Master Planning for the Fresh Kills 
Landfill site; 
(5) ensure a plan for adequate Federal funding 
of long-term operation and maintenance of the me-
morial; 
(6) provide significant opportunities for public 
participation in the planning and design of the me-
morial; and 
(7) officially name the memorial. 
(j) POWERS.—The Commission may—
(1) make such expenditures for services and 
materials for the purpose of carrying out this Act as 
the Commission considers advisable from funds ap-
propriated or received as gifts for that purpose; 
(2) accept gifts to be used in carrying out this 
section or to be used in connection with the con-
struction or other expenses of the memorial; 
(3) hold hearings, enter into contracts for per-
sonal services and otherwise; 
(4) do such other things as are necessary to 
carry out this Act; and 
(5) by a vote of the majority of the Commis-
sion, delegate such of its duties as it determines ap-
propriate to employees of the National Park Service 
staff.
(k) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
upon dedication of the completed memorial. 
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to—
(1) provide assistance to the Commission, in-
cluding advice on collections, storage, and archives; 
(2) consult and assist the Commission in pro-
viding information, interpretation, and the conduct 
of oral history interviews; 
(3) provide assistance in conducting public 
meetings and forums held by the Commission; 
(4) participate in or support the planning ef-
forts for the memorial; 
(5) provide programming and design assistance 
to the Commission for possible memorial exhibits, 
collections, or activities; 
(6) provide project management assistance to 
the Commission for design and construction activi-
ties; 
(7) provide staff assistance and support to the 
Commission; 
(8) participate in the formulation of plans for 
the design of the memorial and to construct the me-
morial;
(9) acquire from willing sellers the land or in-
terests in land for the memorial site by donation, 
purchase with donated or appropriated funds, or ex-
change; and 
(10) administer the ‘‘September 11th Heroes’’ 
memorial as a unit of the National Park Service in 
accordance with this Act and with the laws generally 
applicable to units of the National Park System such 
as the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 585).
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