Honoring the city of Minneapolis, first responders, and the citizens of the State of Minnesota for their valiant efforts in responding to the horrific collapse of the Interstate Route 35W Mississippi River Bridge.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 606) honoring the city of Minneapolis, first responders, and the citizens of the State of Minnesota for their valiant efforts in responding to the horrific collapse of the Interstate Route 35W Mississippi River Bridge.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 606.

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

I strongly support House Resolution 606, introduced by my colleague Congressman Ellison, my friend and fellow Minnesotan. Congressman Ellison represents the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota, which includes the city of Minneapolis. I am grateful to Congressman Ellison for his work in introducing this resolution and getting it to the floor in a quick manner.

On August 1, the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed over the Mississippi River. The images of that disaster are now etched in our collective memories in this country. We can all recall the strange and surreal sight of a bridge lying crumpled and broken, laying in that great river. And we can all recall the images of vehicles that were crushed by the debris as well as those like the school bus that was full of children that sat amongst all that disaster and carnage and its occupants, and thankfully, escaped unharmed.

Unfortunately, not everyone on the I-35 bridge that Wednesday made it home safely. Thirteen of our fellow Minnesotans, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, grandchildren, grandparents, were killed in the tragedy. That those numbers were not higher was due in no small part to the hundreds of firefighters, police, emergency personnel, and ordinary citizens who rushed to the aid of their fellow citizens. The direct action of these civil servants and citizens immediately following this tragedy undoubtedly saved countless lives and eased suffering. Ordinary residents of the city of Minneapolis displayed extraordinary courage and compassion on August 1.

This resolution recognizes the outstanding work and effort of the first responders, the city officials, and the residents of Minnesota for their quick and compassionate response. I am pleased to join Congressman Ellison and all of the Minnesota delegation in this effort, and I extend my gratitude to those whose dedication and duty was so evident on August 1.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Missouri for the kind words and compassionate response. The overwhelming response from the Members of this body was truly heartfelt and truly put action into words in getting Minnesota and Minneapolis moving forward.

At this time, Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the main sponsor of this bill, the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison) in responding to this disaster that occurred in his district.

Madam Speaker, we in Minnesota rarely refer to Minneapolis without mentioning our sister city of St. Paul, our Twin Cities, and we are fortunate that these two cities have excellent representation in their two Representatives.

It's a real pleasure for me to yield as much time as she may consume, her dedication and leadership in this matter has been outstanding, and I give as much time as needed to Congresswoman McCollum.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, first of all, to my colleague from Missouri, I thank him so much for helping manage on this. The poignant comments made by my fellow Minnesotans was heartfelt and I think put best maybe by Representative Bachmann that this issue truly brought us together. I want to send a special thank-you to this entire body for the response that was given to the people of Minnesota in light of this tragedy.

As we speak, the dean of our delegation, Chairman Oberstar, is holding hearings on this very issue of bridges across America to make sure we don't have a repeat of this incident and understand everything that we can do to hopefully prevent this type of tragedy. He is meeting with Secretary of Transportation Peters and the mayor of Minneapolis, Mayor Rybak, is in town talking on this very issue.

So it is appropriate that we honor those that sacrificed and gave so much in light of this tragedy and it is appropriate that we move forward to prevent it in the future.

I also thank my colleague and friend from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) for his kind words. He is very familiar with my district. His family has roots there. He has a farm there. He knows firsthand the devastation that was wrought on those counties. We lost seven of our fellow Minnesotans. We had seven counties that are national disasters. The response has been fantastic from both State, local and Federal officials. When you get 17 inches of rain in 24 hours, it brings great tragedy.

President Bush was kind enough and showed leadership in coming to Minnesota, promising a quick response and delivered. He also made a comment and made sure that one of our towns that was virtually destroyed, Rushford, Minnesota, needed to get back defending their State football championship. I am glad to report that they won Friday night, quite convincingly.

This disaster and the response from it, the silver lining of this is the great human qualities of compassion, courage, selfless service were shown by our first responders and everyone involved. It is a pleasure for me to put my name to a piece of legislation like this.

I thank and urge my colleagues to vote unanimously for H. Res. 606.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my dear colleague for allowing me this moment to address the body.

I, too, offer my condolences and sympathy to the Members and families of our Minnesota community who endured one of the most horrific losses that anyone can imagine. When it's a beautiful, wonderful evening in Minnesota in August, August 1, when people are on their way to the Twins game and home from work, their minds are on the BBQ and what they're going to do when they go home, what they're going to say to their husband, what they're going to say to their wife, going to their child's T-ball game or their soccer game, those were the kind of things that were on the minds of Minnesotans when all of a sudden, inexplicably, this bridge that is the most traveled bridge in the State of Minnesota went down. Something no one would ever imagine could happen happened.

The Saturday after the bridge collapse occurred, I had the opportunity to go back and meet with some of the first responders, as my colleagues did as well. And I think to a person we can say what we saw that day was nothing short of just the joy and the grief, all of the emotions mixed together on the faces of the firemen, faces of the policemen, faces of the health care professionals as well who were there, who saw that horror firsthand and did what we expect that they would do, be first responders. Seems like an ordinary thing that they should do their job, but it's never an ordinary thing to lay down your life for your fellow man. That's what a police officer does every day when they put on that uniform. That's what a fireman does every day when they put on that uniform. And that day they were called upon to do that duty, make that sacrifice. They did it. And I'll tell you what, I could not be more proud of those first responders.

And it was wonderful, too, Madam Speaker, to see how in this body this wasn't a Republican or Democrat issue, this was about being human, this was about loving our fellow man. And I can't say enough about the effort of the two parties to come together and unanimously making the right decision, and that is, authorizing the

money for this bridge to get it up and built again, and then hopefully now appropriate that money to get it up again.

I commend Congressman Ellison, Congressman Walz, I commend Congresswoman McCollum and everyone in our delegation who came together to get behind this bridge. But more importantly, it's the first responders who came together and laid down their lives.

One of the people who did that was a constituent of mine. I just want to mention him a little bit. His name is Gary Babineau, 24 years old, lives up in Blaine. He is a construction worker. Gary was coming home from work that night, like most Minnesotans, thinking about what he was going to do. His wife is due with their first baby 2 weeks later. And that's what he was thinking about, that new little baby that was about to come 2 weeks from now, when all of a sudden he was right across from that yellow school bus that we all saw on the news. And Gary's truck was on the bridge, and he felt the bridge go down. And in a moment of time, his black pickup truck fell 30 feet down to the bottom. He never thought he would wake up again. He never thought he would open his eyes again, but he did. And he couldn't believe it, he could move. His back was severely hurt, but he could move. He got out of that truck and he went and he helped person after person get out of their vehicle, carried people to safety. And then Gary remarkably, here in the midst of having a severely injured back, he jumped off the bridge, got onto the ground, got back on the bridge, not knowing that the bridge would be stable, got on that bridge and went immediately to that yellow school bus. And he then assisted those 50 children getting off that bus. And as a matter of fact, it was reported in the paper it said, Gary Babineau said, ``I could see the whole bridge going down, and I was going down, too,'' he said. ``I have a baby coming in 2 weeks and that's all I could think about. We hit bottom, and I couldn't believe that I could open my eyes, I couldn't believe that I could move.''

Gary Babineau was an ordinary man, but he became a first responder and he helped save lives. At the moment that he was needed he did it. We kind of expect that that's what Americans would do. We're just good people, we help each other in time of need. And here in this tragedy, as we have seen other tragedies that have befallen our Nation, when things didn't go exactly right in the recovery effort, here in Minnesota we saw that things were right. It happened right. And the reason why it happened right was because of first responders, official first responders, nonofficial first responders. But they did what was right because they acted out of love, out of a heart of love for their fellow man.

So I thank those first responders, the firemen, the policemen, the average Joes, the Gary Babineaus in their truck. And I thank the Federal officials, our President, our Members of Congress. I thank the county officials, the city officials, the State officials. Everybody did what was right.

But thank you, Congressman Ellison. This was the right resolution to bring forward today to honor these selfless individuals who none of us could live without. Thank you, first responders. I encourage my colleagues to give us a unanimous vote to this wonderful resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 606, introduced by my colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison). I extend my gratitude for his work to introduce this resolution and bring it forth for consideration on the House floor.

On August 1, 2007, at 6:05 p.m., during the evening rush hour, the bridge on Interstate 35 W spanning the Mississippi River suddenly collapsed. The eight-lane, steel truss bridge span carried approximately 140,000 vehicles each day. This horrific catastrophe claimed the lives of 13 people; 123 other individuals were injured.

Visions of this tragedy and the destruction left in the wake of the bridge collapse remain etched in our memories. Yet the scenes of the damage have been softened by the touching images of the hundreds of fire fighters, police officers, including the University of Minnesota police, and emergency response personnel that rushed to aid their fellow citizens. The direct actions of these civil servants and citizens immediately following this tragedy are examples of extraordinary courage.

The brave men and women who were first on the scene, and remained working around the clock after the collapse, helped to minimize the toll of this tragedy and undoubtedly saved lives. The aftermath of the collapse has also been made easier to bear with the help from over 50 organizations and local governments and a national outpouring of sympathy and prayers.

A few months ago, the people of Minnesota suffered a different kind of catastrophe: a raging forest fire. The blaze began on May 5, 2007, in the Gunflint Trail area in far northeastern Minnesota, roared across the Canadian border, and then returned to Minnesota to devastate my district. It consumed nearly 76,000 acres and destroyed 140 structures. Many first responders heeded the call to this fire. The dedicated men and women of the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department were among the first to arrive on the scene, followed by firefighters and fire departments from across the region. In all, over 1,000 personnel assisted in fighting this blaze. No lives were lost, there were only 11 minor injuries, and 759 structures were saved thanks to the efforts of these responders.

The responses to these disasters are just two examples of the countless selfless acts that our Nation's first responders carry out every day simply by doing their job. Twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, all over this country, when any type of tragedy enters our lives, from a medical emergency facing a neighbor to a large-scale natural disaster, terrorist attack, or other incident, our Nation's emergency responders are the first on the scene to provide professional services, expert help, aid and comfort. These well-trained, highly- skilled individuals are truly on the front lines in preparing for, responding to, and mitigating damages from a variety of hazards.

Across the country, the millions of men and women who serve this nation as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, including those in Minnesota, place themselves in great danger every day in order to protect each one of us. They deserve our deepest thanks and respect.

I stand with Congressman Ellison in recognizing the outstanding work and effort of the first responders in response to the tragic bridge collapse in Minnesota and laud their unflinching dedication to duty. While we can never adequately express our gratitude to the brave men and women, this resolution is a fitting tribute.

I strongly support this resolution and urge its passage.

Congressman Walz, it would go without saying that the Twin Cities, my district, is doing whatever we can in support both with volunteers, with thoughts, with prayers, and with anything that would come forward in a special session to support the tragedy that has taken place in southern Minnesota. And much of what we can say about our first responders we can also say about the first responders in your district.

Madam Speaker, it has been just over a month since we saw the unthinkable happen in Minneapolis; the collapse of the I-35W bridge into the Mississippi River shocked our Nation. For Minnesotans, it was only the beginning of an ordeal that we will never forget.

In the hours and days that followed, we waited quietly for the word of missing loved ones. We watched anxiously as skilled Navy and FBI divers searched the treacherous wreckage and felt our hearts grow heavy again when we heard the news of each recovered victim. A month later, we continue to grieve for the 13 who lost their lives that evening, six of them my constituents.

Our prayers are with the survivors, whose deep physical and emotional injuries have yet to heal. But along with the twisted metal and sunken concrete, the aftermath of the bridge collapse also brought us the unforgettable images of courage and hope. The off-duty firefighter, without any diving gear, going under the water again and again to search cars for trapped victims; the bus driver, counselors, and others on the bridge who threw open the emergency exit of a yellow school bus and made sure that all 61 of the children got to safety.

The bridge's collapse may have shocked the Nation, but the response of Minnesota's emergency personnel, public servants and ordinary citizens awed and inspired the Nation. Again and again my colleagues in Congress have approached me to express their amazement at the compassion and strength of our community.

Madam Speaker, this resolution honors the courage and selflessness of all Minnesotans involved in this disaster. It honors the first responders who rushed to the scene evacuating scores of victims and saving countless lives. It honors the medical personnel who worked and still work tirelessly to heal the injured. It honors the local and national recovery teams who carried out the excruciating and difficult search of the wreckage and bringing closure to the family and friends of the victims. It honors ordinary Minnesotans who were at every step of the way, from those who dove into the water to save lives immediately after the collapse to those who continue to offer time, material support, emotional comfort for grieving families today.

Our recovery effort is not over yet. The Twin Cities community will feel the consequences of the bridge's collapse for years to come. As we turn to the task of adjusting our daily commutes and planning to rebuild the bridge, we must also begin to repair and rebuild the other bridges and infrastructure in Minnesota that are in danger. We also must work to rebuild the infrastructure across this Nation.

This resolution honors the strength, the sympathy, the steadfastness of the people of Minnesota that we saw so clearly in the wake of this tragedy. And I have faith that these same courageous qualities will see us through the challenges ahead.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise on the floor today to speak on behalf of H. Res. 606, a resolution that honors the city of Minneapolis and the first responders and citizens of Minnesota for their valiant efforts in responding to the horrific collapse of Interstate 35W Mississippi River bridge.

Madam Speaker, while we honor the city of Minneapolis, there are also numerous cities in the area of Minneapolis, such as New Hope, Golden Valley, and many, many others, all that sent their first responders to the aid of the victims. And each and all of these cities deserve honor and respect. Thank you.

At 6:05 p.m. on August 1, 2007, Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13 people and injuring nearly 100 people. The 13 victims were mothers, fathers, children, workers, good people, each and all.

I'm honored today to stand with my colleagues from Minnesota to honor the work of the first responders and the entire community of Minnesota and the Nation for stepping up to the plate to assist our community on August 1 in responding to the horrific bridge collapse.

Without any hesitation or any regard or consideration for their own safety, Minnesota first responders, firefighters, police, emergency medical personnel all rushed to the bridge collapse scene, and it is clear that the commitment and heroism in the minutes and hours that followed the tragedy saved countless lives.

Additionally, scores of ordinary Minnesotans became good Samaritans. For example, Madam Speaker, Jeremy Hernandez, a 20-year-old employee of a Minneapolis nonprofit organization, was riding on a school bus with over 50 children when the bus dropped towards the Mississippi River gorge as the bridge collapsed. Jeremy immediately took charge and evacuated the bus, ensuring that all staff and children got off the bus safely. This is America and Minnesota at its best when ordinary citizens become extraordinary citizens.

But let me conclude, Madam Speaker, by respectfully asking this Congress to regard this tragedy as a national call to action, to focus our public energy on the reconstruction of our public infrastructure.

On August 1, we as a Nation were united in grief for the victims, and we were united in the recovery and healing efforts. Now let us all stand united in rebuilding our country's ailing public infrastructure. For if the Nation is a body, our infrastructure is the skeleton that holds it up.

I look forward to working with Members of Congress. I thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank you, Mr. Walz, for your excellent energy. I also would be remiss if I did not commend your community, our community, and southern Minnesota for its own tragedy that we suffered collectively. And we stand with the people of southern Minnesota in solidarity and in brother- and sisterhood. Thank you very much.