Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Chairman Conyers, and Majority Leader Hoyer for expediting this resolution to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday, June 9, the town of Garner, in my district, changed forever. A natural gas leak, as you've heard, ignited a massive explosion at the ConAgra Food plant, causing the collapse of a significant portion of the structure. Three employees died in the explosion; and close to 40 others were injured, four, with critical burns.

This resolution remembers the lives of Barbara McLean Spears of Dunn, North Carolina, Louis Junior Watson and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, both of Clayton. They were all hardworking Americans who did just what we do every day: they got up, they went to work on that fateful day, Tuesday, to make their lives better and to do their part to contribute to America's work force and success of this Nation.

One of those workers, Louis Junior Watson, was particularly heroic. Though he had a means of escape, Watson chose to remain in the building to aid his coworker, Barbara McLean Spears, who had fallen. This extraordinary man is truly a hero and exemplifies the spirit of community and kinship that has strengthened his community.

Mr. Watson and his wife, Terri, would have celebrated their wedding anniversary yesterday. They had a 14-year-old son, and 16-year-old and 18-year-old daughters. Louis Junior Watson was laid to rest at 11 a.m. today.

More than 1,000 people attended the Sunday funeral services held for Rachel Mae Poston Pulley. Ms. Pulley was a mother of seven and a grandmother of six.

Barbara McLean Spears, who was married one year ago to her partner of 15 years, Anthony Spears, also leaves behind her 61-year-old mother, Bertha McLean, two brothers and two nieces. She was also laid to rest yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring their lives and their loved ones who are left behind.

This resolution also recognizes Mayor Williams and his staff, our first responders, fire, police, EMS, who were quick to the scene and prevented even further loss of life or injury. Those emergency personnel worked tirelessly on behalf of our communities; and we thank all of them, including private citizens who stepped up in this great time of need. Four of those brave firefighters, as you've already heard, were injured in the line of duty on Tuesday, and we commend their heroic efforts.

The citizens in and around my district have come together in the wake of this devastation, and it has been remarkable. I'm heartened and encouraged by the show of support from my fellow North Carolinians.

Our small communities are enhanced by businesses like ConAgra, which employed 900 people at this plant. I'm pleased to learn that they've set up a recovery fund for the victims, and they've been distributing groceries to their employees in need.

I know that ConAgra is working to rebuild the plant, and I look forward to the day when the employees can return to their work. There's a great demand for the products that ConAgra is producing in Garner, and I am pleased that these snacks and other food products are made in the Second District of North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, let us remember those who we have lost and be thankful for those who were saved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and the entire ConAgra community because they are suffering.

On Friday night I participated in a vigil in Garner to remember and honor the victims. I was honored to attend and pleased with the tremendous outpouring of support.

At 11:30 tomorrow, exactly 1 week after the accident, Mayor Williams, the city of Garner, and all the community will join together with other individuals in other communities who were touched by the accident in a moment of silence to commemorate this disaster. I hope that we will have Congress' voice represented there with the passage of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this important and necessary and timely resolution.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 540) expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, with this resolution, the House of Representatives acknowledges the tragedy that occurred at ConAgra on June 9, 2009, and extends our sympathies to the people of Garner, North Carolina, and to all of those who were touched by this tragedy. I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge) for introducing this important resolution about such a sad tragedy.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on June 9, last Tuesday, a massive explosion ripped through the ConAgra plant in North Carolina while about 300 employees were working. The explosion killed three employees and injured at least 38 others. Three of the responding firefighters were also treated for chemical inhalation.

We wish we could turn back the hands of time and prevent this terrible tragedy. Unfortunately, we can't. And, instead, we need to do all we can to understand the cause of the explosion so we can minimize the risk of explosions like it.

This past weekend, the ATF response team announced that the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak in a room that housed vacuum pumps used for sealing snacks.

According to news reports, the ATF has not found any evidence of criminal activity. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, along with others, will continue with the investigation.

We express our deepest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of this tragedy. We honor three employees who lost their lives in the explosion, Barbara McLean Spears of Dunn, North Carolina, Louis Junior Watson of Clayton, North Carolina, Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, of Clayton, North Carolina; and we also honor those who suffered injuries.

And, finally, we commend the heroic actions of the first responders, the Garner Police and Fire Departments, the emergency medical personnel, the North Carolina Task Force 8 Urban Search and Rescue, the ATF, and all other emergency services personnel and private citizens who came to the rescue. Their efforts, along with those of the ConAgra employees themselves, no doubt prevented further loss of life and injuries.

I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to another colleague from North Carolina, Mr. Price.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and thank my colleagues from North Carolina for bringing this tragedy to our attention and giving us the opportunity to convey our condolences.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join colleagues here today in offering condolences to the families and friends and coworkers of Barbara McLean Spears, Louis Junior Watson and Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, the three workers who tragically lost their lives in an explosion at the ConAgra plant in Garner, North Carolina on June 9.

This area, Garner, North Carolina, is an area that I formerly represented as their Congressman. It's now represented by our colleague, Bob Etheridge; and I want to thank Bob for sponsoring this resolution here today and enabling us to come together in this time of tribute.

Our sympathy goes out to the families of the victims, but also to the 40 other ConAgra employees who were injured in this plant's explosion and collapse. Some of them have severe burns. They have other serious injuries. We wish them a successful recovery, and we thank the medical providers, including the Burn Center at UNC Chapel Hill, who are doing so much to treat these victims.

Often it does take a tragedy like the ConAgra explosion to publicly highlight the courageous work of our first responders. We commend those who responded to this explosion. There are many stories of bravery that prevented further injury or loss of life. The firefighters, the police, the emergency medical services of Garner and Wake County and many surrounding communities that heeded the call to rescue the ConAgra plant employees in a quick and safe manner. So we're very indebted to them and grateful to them. These first responders put us first, put our communities first every day.

There are also many private citizens who risked their lives helping plant employees evacuate, who gave selfless assistance to their suffering neighbors. That's a testament to the character and the strength of Garner's community.

The ConAgra plant, as my colleague, Mr. Etheridge, has said, is a cornerstone of the Garner and Wake County community. It was built as a sausage plant nearly 50 years ago. As we move forward, remembering the victims of this tragedy, and the way that this plant provided the livelihood for so many people, we do hope the plant is rebuilt, and that employees can return to work. And we're heartened that such plans seem to be under way.

We do need to remain vigilant, of course, in our efforts to improve workplace safety. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has concluded their investigation, finding, fortunately, no evidence of criminal intent. The Chemical Safety Board investigation is ongoing. We need to get to the bottom of this. We need to understand what happened; and we need, of course, to adopt practices and policies that lead to safer facilities in the future and avoid this kind of tragedy.

So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, we honor the memories of those that we have lost, give thanks for those who have been spared, and join in sympathy for the victims and their families.

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

I rise in support of the resolution, which expresses the heartfelt condolences of this body to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims of the June 9 explosion at ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina.

As the resolution notes, the people of North Carolina experienced a devastating tragedy with a massive explosion occurring at the plant shortly before 11:30 a.m. The 500,000 square foot plant employed about 900 people, 300 of whom were on-site when the blast occurred. As a result of the blast, three workers lost their lives when the explosion ripped through the plant.

One brave employee, Louis Junior Watson, selflessly re-entered the building to try to help a coworker escape. Tragically, neither employee was able to escape the plant before the structure collapsed.

Along with Mr. Watson, the resolution honors the memories of Barbara McLean Spears, Rachel Mae Poston Pulley, who were the other two people who perished in the plant. We know that at least 40 employees were injured in the accident. Some suffered from exposure to toxic ammonia fumes, and at least four received critical burns.

After the blast occurred, North Carolina's first responders, including firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians, quickly arrived on the scene. Their timely efforts probably prevented many other losses of life or injury. This resolution, as my colleague from Virginia noted, commends them for their sacrifice and courage as well.

In addition to the first responders, we also recognize the private citizens of the proud community of Garner who risked their well-being to come to the aid of the families and friends and neighbors of those in the tragedy.

I join Mr. Etheridge, Chairman Scott, and my colleagues in the House to express our sincere sympathies to the people of Garner, the entire State of North Carolina, and the Nation who grieve for the victims.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, I would just urge my colleagues to support the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately Monday night, June 15, 2009, I was unable to cast my votes on H. Res. 430, H.R. 2325, H.R. 729 and H. Res. 540.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 336, on suspending the rules and passing H. Res. 430, Expressing condolences to the citizens of Italy and support for the Government of Italy in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the Abruzzo region of central Italy, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 337, on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 2325, the Laredo Veterans Post Office, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 338, on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 729, Phylicia's Law, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 339, on suspending the rules and passing H. Res. 540, Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the catastrophic explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in Garner, North Carolina, I would have voted ``aye.''