Expressing the sense of the Congress with regard to the need for improved fire safety in nonresidential buildings in the aftermath of the tragic fire on February 20, 2003, at a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island.

Madam Speaker, I, too, want to join my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), in offering our heartfelt condolences to the families of the E2 Nightclub in Chicago for their tremendous loss. It is utterly ironic that the footage captured in Rhode Island of The Station nightclub on that terrible night was footage that was captured because a cameraman was following up on the local angle of club safety in light of what happened in Chicago. Those terrible images that we saw beamed across the country would not have been caught had it not been for our State trying to prevent what had happened in Chicago. How tragic it was that that is just what ended up happening.

Madam Speaker, it is with great regret that I stand on the floor of the House today to offer my sincerest condolences and heartfelt prayers to those who lost loved ones, to those who were lost, and those still recovering from the effects of the tragic fire in my State of Rhode Island. I know that there is nothing that we can say, no resolution that we can pass that will take away the consuming grief and the sense of loss that so many Rhode Islanders have felt and are feeling; but it is my hope that these condolences of the House, along with time, will help to heal those wounds.

I would like to say to my colleagues who have been watching the coverage of these sad events over the past days that you have no doubt heard several Rhode Islanders say that ``everyone in Rhode Island is separated by one and a half degrees,'' a play off of the well-known ``six degrees of separation'' adage. Rhode Island is a small, but proud, State. There are fewer of us in Rhode Island than in Los Angeles, Dallas, Fort Worth, or Philadelphia. In Rhode Island, everyone knows everyone. Ask any Rhode Islander, and they will tell you their State is not so much a State as a community, a community where people are born, raised, educated, and eventually raise their own families in this place that will always welcome them home.

To my colleagues, and especially to my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), who I thank for bringing this resolution to the floor today, I say that the atmosphere under which we are at this time

and place, where generations of American representatives have marked tragedies and triumphs in the halls of this Republic, today we mourn the worst of those disasters ever to afflict the people of Rhode Island. To date, we have lost 99 of our families, friends, and neighbors to this terrible tragedy. That is nearly half as many Rhode Islanders as were lost in the entire Vietnam War in our State of Rhode Island.

A disaster of this magnitude in a community like Rhode Island has tested the limits of our collective comprehension, resilience, and grief. While we mourn, we still hold out the hope, and offer our prayers, to the 190 men and women still fighting their injuries across New England, as many as 40 in the hospital. Their struggles will be difficult, the road ahead challenging; but the people of Rhode Island have proven that community togetherness and family can see us through anything. We offer them our support and encouragement today, and we promise that we will still be there in the months and the years ahead to ensure that we never forget that they are going to be living with these injuries for the rest of their lives.

Madam Speaker, but for the brave first responders who came immediately and professionally to their call to duty, many of those in the hospitals today would no longer be with us, and most assuredly the number of those still recovering from their injuries would be much, much higher. The emergency personnel on duty who rushed to the scene, to those who simply passed or heard through the grapevine about the tragedy and selflessly responded, the men and women of this House today say ``thank you'' to all of them. They worked without thought for themselves that freezing night, and afterwards, not only to free the trapped from the inferno, and tended through their own tears to the cries of the wounded, but long past the tragedy to tend to the emotional and psychological wounds that continue to inflict these victims.

Madam Speaker, what we ask of first responders in these situations is to be superhuman in the face of staggering human suffering. Most of us spend our lives doing our best to keep ourselves and our loved ones out of situations that the police, fire, and medical personnel rush into every single day, day after day. Their heroism in this tragedy does not go unnoticed. It might be added that with so much evil emanating from the events of 9-11, it is fitting to acknowledge that our State would not have been able to react as quickly as it had were it not for the lessons learned in that tragedy.

Also, the leadership shown at so many levels of government is inspiring to those of us who believe that there are indeed good and honorable people in government service. I want to join my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island, in recognizing all those who he recognized in his remarks; but I too want to pay particular attention to our new Governor, Governor Carcieri, who has shown tremendous leadership under pressure. The compassion and personal touch that he has brought to our State has truly been inspirational. More than any other person, the Governor has held our State together through this tragedy.

So while we continue to mourn for those who have walked on from this world and offer our prayers to those still fighting to return to good health, let us help to lessen their grief by showing our gratitude to all those who have helped them through this adversity.

There will be, unfortunately, no shortage of time to grieve for the mother that will not be able to open the presents with her children at the holidays. There is no shortage of time to grieve for the brother who will not walk down the aisle with his new bride. There is no shortage of time to grieve for the spouse who will not celebrate her next anniversary with her husband, the grandfather who will not see his grandchildren graduate from college, or the child who will take his first steps without his parents to see him. Many Rhode Islanders will have the rest of their lives for these somber memories. Now is a time for remembrance of how the human spirit, above all, arises in times of tragedy, because that is the only thing, besides the passage of time, that will help ease our current pain.

Unlike other no-less-painful losses we experience in the course of our lives, too many young lives were lost this horrific night. This incident has reminded me of the words that my father spoke at my cousin, John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s, memorial service. He said: ``He was lost on that troubled night, but we will always wake for him, so that his time, which was not doubled, but cut in half, will live forever in our memory, and in our beguiled and broken hearts.''

Madam Speaker, our hearts are broken; and those who are lost will no doubt live forever in our memory.

I want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island once again for all the work that he has done representing his district through these difficult times. I know that the people who have entrusted their faith to him have been well served, and I appreciate this opportunity to rise in support of his resolution and strongly urge my colleagues to give it the support that it deserves.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I appreciate his comments; and my condolences go to the families that lost loved ones in the Chicago tragedy as well. We share his pain in these two tragic events.

Madam Speaker, on the night of February 20, Rhode Island suffered a devastating tragedy. On that night, a massive fire, ignited by a pyrotechnic display during a rock concert, tore through The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in my congressional district. That fire took 99 lives and left nearly 200 injured.

In any community, this tragedy would have been overwhelming, but in a small State like Rhode Island, when a closeknit town falls victim to one of the worst nightclub fires in the Nation's history, the impact is simply incomprehensible. Everyone in Rhode Island has a connection to one of the victims; and indeed, connections have been made all across New England and, indeed, the Nation.

I have introduced the resolution before us today to memorialize this horrible event and honor the victims and to express thanks for heroic efforts of so many emergency personnel, medical workers, community members, and government officials who have helped us through this tragedy.

Just as importantly, I was compelled to draw the attention of my colleagues to this fire in order to reinforce the urgent need for increased attention to fire safety nationwide. Federal, State and local officials, along with proprietors of nightclubs and other commercial facilities, must reevaluate safety regulations and their enforcement to ensure that this kind of tragedy never happens again.

If the West Warwick fire can serve as a wake-up call and lead to improved safety across the country, then these 99 lives will not have been lost in vain. It is the very least we can do to honor the victims.

As Rhode Islanders continue the healing process, I want to express my deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones in this horrible fire. There are no words to adequately express our profound sadness. Please know that they are in the thoughts and prayers of us all, and we will not let the lives of their husbands, wives, sisters and brothers, children, parents and friends be forgotten.

As of this afternoon, at least 40 people remain hospitalized, nearly half of them still in critical condition. I know my colleagues join me in offering up prayers for their quick and full recovery. They are fighting every hour, and they need our strength now more than ever. Our best wishes go out to them and their families as they weather the tough days ahead.

I would also like to express my immense gratitude for the heroic efforts of people and agencies from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and elsewhere who have helped respond to this disaster. The firefighters, police, emergency responders who were first on the scene made a herculean effort under unimaginable circumstances; and we have them to thank that even more lives were not lost.

In addition, over a dozen hospitals in Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been caring for patients since this tragedy. The doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, and support staff of these hospitals have worked tirelessly to help the injured; and we are grateful for their service.

As usual, when tragedy strikes Rhode Island, our community has proven strong, resilient and boundlessly generous. I want to recognize the countless volunteers who have put their lives on hold to help in any way they can. Likewise, many of our State's business community have come forward to provide food, shelter, transportation and much more to those affected by this event.

I would particularly like to thank the Red Cross and its scores of volunteers for all they have done to give comfort and assistance to those whose loved ones were lost or injured.

Rhode Island's Governor, Don Carcieri, has provided outstanding leadership throughout this ordeal and shown extraordinary sensitivity to the families involved, and I have personally heard from many of them how much they appreciate his efforts. West Warwick's town manager, Wolfgang Bauer, has worked hand in hand with State officials to help the people of his community through this event. Lieutenant Governor Charles Fogarty and Major General Reginald Centracchio, cochairs of the Emergency Management Advisory Council, have also played a crucial role in this crisis; and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency has impressively and effectively coordinated a myriad of State and local activities.

I would also like to thank my friend, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy), who is an original cosponsor of this resolution, for his assistance, his friendship and support through this difficult time, and, of course, Rhode Island's senior Senator, Jack Reed, and Senator Lincoln Chafee for their tremendous efforts and leadership. And I want to express my great appreciation to several Federal agencies, including FEMA, the Social Security Administration, SBA, HHS and ATF, for all of their support. Their involvement has been critical, and I look forward to working with them further in the weeks to come.

Finally, Madam Speaker, let me address the issues of safety in our clubs, concert halls and other public places. As Americans have been reminded so painfully by the West Warwick fire, as well as the tragic nightclub stampede in Chicago just a few days earlier, we cannot relax our efforts to ensure that our fire and safety regulations are strong and effective and our entertainment facilities are in full compliance with them. As we now know all too well, to lose sight of the overall importance of safety can be fatal.

I have been greatly encouraged by the intense efforts going on across the country in recent weeks to revisit fire safety regulations and step up enforcement of existing laws. Our State and local officials are taking this issue seriously, and I am hopeful that the result will be improved safety in every city and town in America. I know that my colleagues are ready to offer whatever Federal assistance might be needed to support these efforts and ensure that the horrific events in Chicago and West Warwick are the last of their kind.

In closing, I urge support of House Concurrent Resolution 85.

Mr. President, 3 weeks ago--on a cold winter evening-- several hundred people gathered at the Station nightclub, a popular venue for live bands in West Warwick, RI. They had come to spend time with friends and to listen to music. Too quickly, this festive occasion turned to horror.

A local television cameraman--who ironically was there to shoot footage for a news story on nightclub safety--captured the scene in an extraordinary piece of video that will haunt Rhode Islanders for many years. A pyrotechnic display on stage ignited nearby soundproofing material, and the flames spread through the nightclub with shocking speed. By most estimates, it took only 2 minutes--2 minutes--from the moment that soundproofing caught fire, until the building was engulfed in flames and filled with superheated, toxic, black smoke.

As this disaster unfolded, heroic emergency personnel rushed to the rescue, placing their own lives in jeopardy. Eyewitness accounts described amazing acts of bravery at the scene. Firefighters saved dozens of men and women, whom they pulled from the doorways and windows of the burning building. Meanwhile, EMTs did their best to stabilize those who were gravely injured and worked with the police to help bring order to the prevailing chaos.

Rhode Island is blessed with a network of fine hospitals, several of which have received national recognition for the quality of their care. On that night, medical teams provided the best treatment for the injured, many of whom have a long recovery ahead. At Rhode Island Hospital--which received 65 fire victims, nearly all at once--an entire floor was converted into a burn unit overnight. Surgeons, nurses, technicians and other support staff must have been overwhelmed by the trauma, but they persevered.

Rhode Island's new Governor, Don Carcieri has been brilliant in managing the State's response to this crisis. Less than 2 months after taking office, Governor Carcieri has demonstrated remarkable leadership abilities in the aftermath of the fire. His efforts came at a critical time and helped ensure that every public official delivered a consistent, productive message.

Whether speaking to all Rhode Islanders at a televised press conference or visiting quietly with grieving families, Governor Carcieri has emerged as a strong, reassuring presence during a very difficult time for Rhode Island. He has expressed our anger at what when wrong, and our compassion for the victims and their loved ones.

Federal agencies also responded immediately to this enormous tragedy. I am grateful for all of the assistance that Rhode Island has received thus far: from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Small Business Administration.

My family and I extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families at this time of great sadness. I hope they will take some comfort in knowing that even with a population of more than 1 million people, Rhode Island is small enough that its citizens consider one another as neighbors. That sense of closeness--developed over decades of shared experiences, both joyful and sorrowful--binds us together and is part of what makes Rhode Island unique among the States.

Those connections are especially strongly felt in small towns and villages, such as Potowomut, where my

family has made its home for many years. Potowomut is a close-knit community, somewhat isolated from the rest of the city of Warwick and Rhode Island--on a peninsula that juts out into Narragansett Bay. Sadly, a fellow Potowomut resident, Tracy King, was among those who perished in the fire.

Tracy was working at the Station nightclub on the night of the fire, and as least initially, managed to escape the blaze. Once outside, however, he rushed back into the building to help others scramble to safety. Tracy was a tall, powerful man--always bursting with energy-- and I am certain that he helped save some lives. I share in the heartbreak that all of Tracy's friends feel, knowing that he did not make it back out in time.

In recent years, Tracy had achieved a measure of fame in Rhode Island, as he had an unusual talent for balancing large, heavy objects on his chin--Christmas trees, ladders, desks--even a refrigerator--all balanced perfectly on his chin.

In 1993, he appeared on ``The Late Show with David Letterman,'' and balanced a 17-foot canoe. Imagine that--a 17-foot canoe, straight up in the air! Tracy was a wonderful entertainer, and he especially enjoyed performing for groups of children. He generously shared his talent at local festivals, schools, and hospitals--everyone delighted in seeing him in action.

Tracy King leaves behind his wife, Evelyn, and three sons--Joshua, Jacob, and Jordan. I ask my colleagues to remember the King family in their prayers.

We also remember that there are many other families in Rhode Island, and across the State line in Massachusetts, that are still coping with this sudden, traumatic loss. In the days following the fire, survivors and family members of those who had died or been injured gathered together to mourn, to ask questions, and to share their stories. May they continue to draw strength from one another, and be sustained by the enduring support of their community.

The Senate is considering this concurrent resolution recently approved in the House, cosponsored by my colleagues in the Rhode Island delegation, expressing the importance of improved fire safety in nonresidential buildings in the aftermath of this tragic fire. I urge adoption of the resolution.

Mr. President, yesterday the House passed H. Con. Res.85, a resolution paying respect to the victims of the tragic nightclub fire on February 20, 2003 in West Warwick, RI, and expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for improved fire safety in buildings used by the public. I thank my colleagues for expediting consideration of this important resolution in the Senate today.

The West Warwick fire is a devastating loss that has affected the lives of thousands of Rhode Islanders. Mr. President, 99 people have died, and nearly 190 people were injured, many of whom are still in hospitals in critical condition.

In the first minutes and hours of this tragedy, our firefighters, police, and emergency medical personnel performed heroically under horrific circumstances, as did many of the patrons who were at the scene and helped to save others.

I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the many families of those who perished in the West Warwick fire, and to let them know that our thoughts and prayers are with them and with the survivors who will struggle with the physical and mental toll of this horrible event for the rest of their lives.

This was a catastrophe brought on by a series of bad decisions. Fault will be sorted out in time, but there are already lessons learned.

State and local officials across the country are, and should be, reexamining their fire and building codes and stepping up enforcement of safety practices in public buildings to make sure that a tragedy like this does not happen again. Congress should do everything it can to support this effort and to encourage both state and local governments and federal agencies to adopt and strictly enforce the most current fire and building consensus codes.

In addition, as our nation continues to fight the war on terror, the response to the West Warwick fire provides a good illustration of how far we've come--and how far we have to go--in improving our emergency management capabilities. Local first responders were on the scene within minutes to help rescue victims, treat the injured, and fight the tremendous blaze that consumed the Station nightclub. As casualties continued to mount, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency coordinated the massive rescue and recovery efforts by state and local agencies from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Several hospitals in Rhode Island and Massachusetts received scores of victims suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation, many of whom remain in critical condition today.

There is no question that the response to the West Warwick fire was better than it would have been before September 11, 2001, thanks to our state's efforts over the past 18 months to strengthen emergency preparedness. Federal assistance in this regard has helped, including equipment and training grants from the Department of Justice's Office of Domestic Preparedness, FIRE Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and bioterror preparedness grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, which included funding to create regional hospital plans to respond to terrorism.

But we can do better. As tragic as the West Warwick fire was, it was a localized event involving deaths and injuries in the hundreds rather than thousands, yet it overwhelmed our state's emergency response systems and hospital emergency room capacity. Assistance from surrounding states and Federal agencies was required to manage the immense tasks of emergency response, medical care, and identifying scores of bodies.

Rhode Island and other states, with the support of the Federal Government, will continue our efforts to strengthen the security of our homeland, and we will apply the hard lessons learned in West Warwick about safety in public buildings.

Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for supporting this important resolution to urge state and local officials and owners of entertainment facilities to examine their safety practices, fire codes, and enforcement capabilities to ensure that such a tragedy never befalls any community again.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the resolution regarding the needs for improved fire safety in nonresidential buildings. This is a major concern with regards to the tragic fire at a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, on February 20, 2003, which killed over 90 people and injured about 200. It is almost unthinkable and unimaginable that such a tragedy could and would occur.

I also want to recognize a similar tragedy that took place in my congressional district in Chicago on February 17, 2003, at the E2 nightclub in Chicago's south side, where a stampede led to approximately 21 people being killed and more than 50 injured. This was a tragedy that could and should have been prevented if there were better fire and building safety codes implemented like wider staircases, more visible exits, and windows for air circulation.

In recognizing the tragedy in Rhode Island, I would like to take this opportunity also to extend my condolences to the families of the fire victims in Warwick and to the victims of the E2 nightclub in Chicago.

Madam Speaker, as lawmakers, we are responsible for ensuring the safety of our citizens, especially in public places. As a result, we should immediately pass this bill before there is any other tragedy, and I would want to urge all of those who have responsibility for safety in public places to do everything possible to assure that those buildings are, in fact, safe; that there is adequate opportunity for people to exit; and that we protect the lives of our citizens.

I commend the gentleman from Rhode Island for introducing this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), who is the author of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains.

Madam Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to commend both the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) for bringing this great tragedy to our attention.

I also want to join with them in commending all of those who rose to the occasion, the policemen; the firemen; the Red Cross; emergency medical services personnel; mental health centers, crisis counselors; and even undertakers in my town, like Leak and Sons Funeral Home, who buried seven people without cost and greatly reduced the cost for an eighth person; radio stations; Salem Baptist Church, New Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church; the Push Rainbow; WGCI Radio; and all of those who have contributed in setting up educational funds for the children of those whose parents lost their lives in the E2 tragedy.

Our country has a tendency to rise up when there is a special need, and I commend all of those who took note of the tragedy in Rhode Island, as well as the tragedy at the E2 in Chicago.