Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, from February 3, 2009, to March 4, 2009, I missed Roll Call votes 47-96. Unfortunately, I underwent a surgical procedure and was in California recuperating. Had I been here, I would have voted the following:

Roll Call Vote 47: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 82, raising awareness and encouraging prevention of stalking by establishing January 2009 as National Stalking Awareness Month;

Roll Call Vote 48: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 103, supporting the goals and ideals of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week;

Roll Call Vote 49: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 559, The Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely (FAST) Redress Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 50: No on the motion to concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 51: Yes on the motion to commit with instructions S. 352, the DTV Delay Act;

Roll Call Vote 52: No on passage of S. 352, the DTV Delay Act;

Roll Call Vote 53: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 738, the Death in Custody Reporting Act;

Roll Call Vote 54: Yes on the motion to instruct conferees on H. R. 1, Making Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year Ending 2009;

Roll Call Vote 55: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 114, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Girls and Women in Sports Day;

Roll Call Vote 56: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 60, Recognizing and commending University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford for winning the 2008 Heisman Trophy and for his academic and athletic accomplishments;

Roll Call Vote 57: No on the motion to table H. Res. 143, Raising a Question of the Privileges of the House;

Roll Call Vote 58: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 128, Honoring Miami University for its 200 years of commitment to extraordinary higher education;

Roll Call Vote 59: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 134, Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s visit to India and the positive influence that the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi had on Dr. King's work during the Civil Rights Movement;

Roll Call Vote 60: No on agreeing to H. Con. Res. 47, Providing for an adjournment or recess of the two Houses;

Roll Call Vote 61: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 154, Honoring John D. Dingell for holding the record as the longest serving member of the House of Representatives;

Roll Call Vote 62: No on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 448, the Elder Abuse Victims Act;

Roll Call Vote 63: No on the motion to agree to H. Res. 157, providing for the consideration of motions to suspend the rules, and for other purposes;

Roll Call Vote 64: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 117, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week;

Roll Call Vote 65: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Con. Res. 35, Honoring and praising the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 100th anniversary;

Roll Call Vote 66: No on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 168, providing for consideration of the conference report to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 67: No on H. Res. 168, providing for consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 68: No on the question of consideration of the conference report to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 69: Yes on the motion to recommit the conference report to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 70: No on agreeing to the conference report to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 71: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules agree to H. Res. 139, Commemorating the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth;

Roll Call Vote 72: No on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 911, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act;

Roll Call Vote 73: No on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 44, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act;

Roll Call Vote 74: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 601, the Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act;

Roll Call Vote 75: No on approving the journal;

Roll Call Vote 76: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and H.R. 80, the Captive Primate Safety Act;

Roll Call Vote 77: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 637, the South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act;

Roll Call Vote 78: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 83, Recognizing the significance of Black History Month;

Roll Call Vote 79: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 234, the Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. Post Office Building;

Roll Call Vote 80: Yes on approving the journal;

Roll Call Vote 81: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 47, Supporting the goals and ideals of Peace Officers Memorial Day;

Roll Call Vote 82: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 180, Supporting the goals and ideals of the third annual America Saves Week;

Roll Call Vote 83: No on the consideration of H. Res. 184, providing for consideration of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations for 2009;

Roll Call Vote 84: Yes on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 184, providing for consideration of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations for 2009;

Roll Call Vote 85: Yes on H. Res. 184, providing for the consideration of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 86: No on passage of H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations of 2009;

Roll Call Vote 87: No on the motion to table H. Res. 189, raising a question of the privileges of the House;

Roll Call Vote 88: No on ordering the previous question on H. Res. 190, providing for consideration of H.R. 1106 to prevent mortgage foreclosures and enhance mortgage credit availability;

Roll Call Vote 89: No on H. Res. 190, Providing for consideration of H.R. 1106 to prevent mortgage foreclosures and enhance mortgage credit availability;

Roll Call Vote 90: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 183, expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of Continental Connection flight 3407;

Roll Call Vote 91: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 146, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act;

Roll Call Vote 92: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 548, the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act;

Roll Call Vote 93: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 77, congratulating the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA for more than 100 years of service and leadership to the United States;

Roll Call Vote 94: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 201, recognizing Beverly Eckerts service to the nation and particularly to the survivors and families of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Roll Call Vote 95: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 195, recognizing and honoring the employees of the Department of Homeland Security on its sixth anniversary for their continuous efforts to keep the nation safe; and

Roll Call Vote 96: Yes on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 45, raising awareness and promoting education on the criminal justice system by establishing March as National Criminal Justice Month.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and appreciate the support from our State delegation, many of whom cosponsored this resolution.

I especially want to thank Mr. Higgins and Ms. Slaughter who have exhibited untiring leadership in offering assistance in the days since this tragedy has struck.

The night of Thursday, February 12, was going along like any other winter evening in the small town of Clarence. Clarence is located less than 20 miles from the city of Buffalo. At the home of the Wielinski family, 22-year-old Jill was watching television with her mother Karen, while her father, Doug, was in the dining room doing some housework. It was at that moment that Continental Flight 3407 carrying 49 passengers and crew struck the Wielinski home, taking Doug's life. All on board the plane were lost.

Each and every soul is a significant loss to our community. Among them: a prominent human rights activist; a September 11th widow; a retired Air Force reservist; an accomplished jazz guitarist; the cantor at a Williamsville temple; the director of a youth service program; a program manager for Northrop Grumman; a nurse at Westfield Memorial Hospital; a second-year law student; the daughter of a Holocaust survivor; a Vietnam veteran with two Purple Hearts; and lastly, a personal friend who was expecting the birth of her first child due at the end of May.

At that moment about a quarter mile away, Clarence Center Fire Chief David Case was also having a quiet evening at home when he heard on his radio that a plane had crashed and struck a house nearby. Chief Case was one of the first to arrive on the scene that night, but by no means was he by himself. Volunteers from throughout Clarence were assisted by crews from Newstead, Akron, Harris Hill, Rapids, East Amherst, Swormville, Amherst, Millgrove, Bowmansville, the Village of Lancaster, Brighton, and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport's Aircraft Rescue Firefighter unit.

Their efforts were supported by hundreds of volunteers who gave their time and energy to support the first responders and the families of the victims.

Last night, Chief Case sat in this very gallery just a handful of rows away from the First Lady as the President of the United States addressed Congress on the state of our Nation. Chief Case did not come here to accept the salutations normally afforded everyday heroes among us. He said he came ``only to be a representative of the men and women of Clarence Center Fire Company and all of the first responders.''

To those first responders and all of the volunteers, I simply want to say thank you.

Chief Case was indeed a fitting representative for a small and proud town that just last year celebrated its bicentennial. Clarence is where my wife and I chose to make our home, and it is where my 3-year-old son will grow up; and I hope that he, in turn, raises a family there as well.

Since the night of this accident, we have been posting on our Web site messages from families of the victims. Thoughts and prayers have come in from all around the country. One message we received was from Holly Henderson, a Clarence resident, and it reads:

``I'm a Clarence resident and a frequent traveler. I thank all of those who were deeply concerned for me, my family and neighbors and ask that they continue to pray for the souls whose lives ended in such tragedy. It is awesome to see how the community has put up ribbons and have come together in this time of crisis. It confirms why I moved back to this area after being gone for so long and feel very proud to be part of this great community in western New York where the people are truly the best in the world.''

Of course, this resolution is not nearly tribute enough to the memories of the victims and the courage of their families, and the echoes of the shock and grief we felt that long Thursday night are still with us. We can find comfort in the fact that even in tough times like these, families and communities come together, rally around one another and do whatever they can to help those in need.

Again, I thank the members of our delegation for their support and for this resolution.

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

I rise in very strong support of this resolution today that's being introduced by my colleague from New York, Mr. Chris Lee. This resolution, House Resolution 183, expresses condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of the February 12, 2009, accident of Flight 3407 which took place in Clarence Center, New York.

There were 50 people on board Flight 3407, including passengers and crew. Sadly, all lives were lost. Our sympathy goes out to the victims and to each and every one of their families, friends and loved ones.

Losing a loved one is tragic, but the loss is compounded when it's as the result of an unfortunate and unforeseen situation. I'm hopeful that this resolution will, in some small way, comfort the families and friends of all of those who lost their lives on Flight 3407.

I also want to thank the first responders and those who are providing support and assistance to the families of the victims. Their efforts are appreciated.

The National Transportation Safety Board is thoroughly investigating every aspect of this accident. The Board is responsible for determining the circumstances and cause of this accident, and they will report back to Congress. In the meantime, I want to assure the families, the public, the Members of Congress, that those charged with the investigation of this tragedy will not rest until the cause of this aviation accident has been determined. The loss of even one life in an aviation accident is unacceptable, but the American public should know that our commercial airlines today are both safe and reliable.

The National Airspace System handles almost 50,000 flights per day and more than 7 million passengers annually. Since 2007, the commercial airline industry has maintained the lowest fatality accident rate in commercial aviation history. Up until this accident, the FAA reported no on-board fatalities in passenger operations in the past 2 years and now approaching almost 3 years with about 1.6 billion people transported during that period.

Despite the amazing safety record, I wish we lived in a world where we could eliminate all accidents and risks. While I don't believe that we can do

that, I do believe that we can continue to work as effectively as possible to do everything we can to avoid these types of accidents in the future.

Again, I want to express my condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims on board Flight 3407, and also to Mr. Chris Lee, my distinguished colleague from New York, and his constituents.

I yield to my colleague from New York (Mr. Lee) such time as he may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I urge all Members to support the resolution before us, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Thank you, Mr. Arcuri. I, too, want to join you in commending our colleague, Chris Lee, for going back to assist in the recovery effort. I spent time with the Congressman on Saturday, where we toured the site with several other officials.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in offering sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the crash of Flight 3407.

What was for many to be a joyous reuniting of family and friends became a time of unspeakable grief and sorrow. An ordinary evening in a home in a suburban Buffalo neighborhood became a family's tragic nightmare.

The victims of this tragedy need our support and empathy during this difficult time in their lives. My community has demonstrated great strength and compassion as it mourns the loss of 50 lives of those loved ones, many of whom were vibrant members of the western New York community.

Our community's response has included professional and spiritual counseling, as well as donated meals and thousands of letters offering sympathy and support. The families will undoubtedly experience difficulty and sadness in the days ahead, but I am confident that the loving embrace of the western New York community will continue to comfort and sustain them.

Mr. Speaker, I also ask that you join me in thanking the first responders, including many police and firefighting agencies, who worked through the night and each succeeding day in the recovery effort. Their work is an ineffably beautiful tribute to the decency of the human spirit and to their professionalism. They deserve our respect, our admiration, and our deepest gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, this tragedy and the loss to the Buffalo community is profound, but the love and support of our community is much greater. I am thankful to those dedicated individuals who responded to this disaster and to those who are offering counseling and support to the families and workers still trying to come to grips with this terrible tragedy.

We will never forget those we lost that night. I am pleased to join my colleague, Chris Lee, in offering support to all of those who knew them and who loved them. I thank Chris Lee for bringing this resolution to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 183, which expresses sympathy to those who lost family, friends, and loved ones in the tragic crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407. The lives of all 49 passengers and crew on the flight were lost on February 12, 2009, when Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center, New York, about 5 miles outside of Buffalo. The plane crashed into a house on the ground, killing one person inside as well.

The Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 was en route from Newark liberty International Airport and it had begun its descent into Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The flight was operated by Colgan Air. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder that were recovered from the crash reveal that the plane underwent severe changes in pitch at about 1,600 feet above ground level before it crashed.

Emergency personnel responded to the scene immediately after the crash to quell the fire and contain the accident scene. The National Transportation Safety Board also responded, sending investigators to the site to conduct an in-depth investigation. Not much is known for sure at this point. It is known that the plane was flying in icing conditions, on autopilot with the de-icing system activated. The NTSB investigation will likely explore many issues, such as icing, pilot training and procedures, and aircraft design. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will watch the investigation as it unfolds with keen interest.

This accident, along with other recent aviation safety events, underscores the importance of not lowering our guard on aviation safety. It is unfortunate that this tragic event occurred. I hope that the findings of the investigation will lead to further improvements in aviation safety that will prevent this type of disaster from occurring again.

I thank the gentleman from New York, Mr. Lee, for bringing H. Res. 183 to the floor, and my sympathies go out to the people of your district. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.