Expressing the sense of Congress that it is appropriate to annually observe Patriot Day, September 11, with voluntary acts of service and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 473, and I thank the gentleman from California for his efforts on having this on the floor today. And I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for the bipartisan support which he has given to this resolution. I also wanted to commend Senator Schumer in the other body for introducing a similar piece of legislation, because this is truly a bipartisan measure.

Mr. Speaker, the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, were obviously the worst national tragedy to ever affect this country. The deaths, the suffering which so many people went through certainly in my district and adjoining districts, there were many hundreds of people killed that day, certainly down here at the Pentagon there were many more killed, almost 3,000 people killed all together. And, again, it was a time of excruciating agony, torment, and suffering.

But as tragic and as terrible as those days were, we also saw something arise in this country, a sense of unity, a sense of people coming together, a sense of the country standing as one.

Obviously in a democratic society, a mood of total unity is never going to prevail for very long; and it is probably just as well that we do have our partisan differences, we have our ideological differences. That is what makes a democracy what it is. But on the other hand, I do wish we could bring back some of that sense of unity that we had in those days immediately following September 11, when people donated blood, when people raised funds, when people actually went to the site of the World Trade Center to assist the rescue workers who were there. It was just a tremendous sense of national unity.

What I have attempted to do with this resolution is to have the President establish a day which would commemorate September 11. It would call upon people to give of themselves. This is not going to be a holiday. We are not talking about giving people time off. We are asking people to go back to that sense of giving and donate their time and their efforts.

People could donate blood. People could take part in food drives. People could go to distribute food to the poor and to the needy. They can go to veterans hospitals. They could work with senior citizens. They could help Alzheimer's patients. They could just find a way to show a sense of giving which so prevailed in our country after September 11.

There are many ways we can honor the legacy of those who died on September 11. We can certainly do it by winning the war on terrorism. We can do that by establishing as much of a bipartisan policy as we can in combating terrorism. But we can also do it in a way which really crosses all ideological and partisan divides. That is by working together, by helping our fellow man, by helping our neighbor, by coming together. That is what this resolution attempts to do.

We call upon the President to designate September 11 as a national day of voluntary service, charity, and compassion. I strongly urge this House to adopt this resolution.

I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), and all those who co-sponsored it with me.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res 473) expressing the sense of Congress that the President should designate September 11 as a national day of voluntary service, charity, and compassion, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 473.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in September 2002 President Bush declared the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks as Patriot Day. The President said September 11 should be a national time for prayer and remembrance for the heroes America lost on that fateful, Earth- shattering day. Accordingly, House Concurrent Resolution 473 states that it is appropriate to annually observe Patriot Day on September 11. I join with my colleagues in urging strong support of this meaningful resolution.

Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us takes the call for remembrance a step forward. It urges people to commemorate the day with voluntary acts of compassion towards loved ones, neighbors and others. These actions can have great effects on our communities all year long.

With little question, September 11, 2001, ushered in a new era in American history. This is a period in which we need to be vigilant, aware, unafraid, and appreciative of our freedoms. But because countless Americans have embraced the sentiment of this resolution

in the past 3 years, this new era can be one of not just security and freedom but compassion and charity as well.

I congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), my distinguished colleague, who will speak in a minute, for his work to move forward House Concurrent Resolution 473.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), the sponsor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote as the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) did, unanimously in favor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my statement be included in the Record in its entirety and request permission to revise and extend my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us would express the sense of Congress that September 11 be designated a national day of voluntary service, charity and compassion in recognition of the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Clearly, all those who tragically lost their lives that day will forever be memorialized by New Yorkers and the Nation at large. Likewise, it is important that we all continue to pay tribute to the countless rescue and recovery workers and volunteers who toiled heroically to locate survivors as well as the deceased and to clean up the Pentagon and Ground Zero.

Yet it is imperative that we do far more than pay symbolic tribute to these front-line heroes. For many on the front lines at Ground Zero in particular, 9/11 can never be a distant memory. Many of these dedicated workers, from the search and rescue teams to the clean-up and construction crews, have significant and lingering health problems as a direct result of exposure to a wide range of toxins. A number have had to retire from active duty due to serious breathing and respiratory symptoms. Far too many can no longer work at their chosen occupations. Others will never be able to work again.

On Workers Memorial Day in 2003, I held a forum in New York City to examine the health status of the 9/11 workers, including a large contingent of immigrant workers entrusted with decontaminating Ground Zero. We must ensure that these brave 9/11 workers, including the group of day laborers; receive all appropriate health care and monitoring as long as necessary. We must also ensure that the health and safety blunders made in this case, and the failure to protect our workers, are never repeated again.

Mr. Speaker, I hope and expect that in the very near future, we will act upon legislation providing the critical health and compensation these brave 9/11 workers merit and require.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, since the tragedy of September 11, volunteerism has experienced a renewed popularity in our country. Government officials, religious leaders, political activists, health professionals and others all have noted the importance of volunteerism and the positive impact it has on families and communities.

It is fitting, therefore, that we designate September 11 as a national day of voluntary service, charity, and compassion.

After September 11, many Americans channeled their fear, anger, sadness, and frustration into volunteerism. Americans joined the military, volunteered with local charities, and contributed to good causes. Our citizens have shown tremendous resolve by using the tragedy of September 11 to help the less fortunate and those in need.

There are many battles won and lost every day in America. These battles are not exclusive to fighting terrorism. They include fights to eradicate poverty, to improve education, and to reduce crime. By creating a national day of service, we will be giving the American people another vehicle for channeling their grief into progress along their own streets, within their own communities, and around the world.

By working together on a day dedicated to volunteerism, we Americans can create the next defining moment in our history, one marked by generosity, understanding, and compassion. I urge the President to designate officially September 11 as a day of service through which the American people can continue this movement of good will towards others.

Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions at the desk be discharged from their respective committees and the Senate proceed to their consideration, en bloc.

I ask unanimous consent that the amendments at the desk be agreed to; the resolutions, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; the preambles, as amended, if amended, be agreed to; the title amendment, where applicable, be agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, all en bloc.