9/11 Memorial and Museum Act

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 835) to provide a one-time grant for the operation, security, and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center to commemorate the events, and honor the victims, of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 835, the bill now under consideration.

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

I rise in support of Representative LaLota's bipartisan bill, the 9/ 11 Memorial and Museum Act. This important legislation honors the victims of the horrendous 9/11 attacks by providing a one-time grant to assist with security costs for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Located in Lower Manhattan, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum occupies the former World Trade Center site. This unique facility serves as the principal tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993.

A prominent feature of the museum is an art installation with the quote ``No Day Shall Erase You From the Memory of Time.'' These words are much more than a quote. They are a solemn promise from each and every American that we will never forget and will not allow our future Americans to forget the tragic events of 9/11.

More than 23 years after these horrific attacks, we still remember the innocent men, women, and children who perished on that September morning. We know that time has not erased the scars, both visible and invisible, carried by the survivors, families of victims, and all who watched those horrific attacks unfold.

Representative LaLota's legislation will help ensure that the memories of those we lost on 9/11 remain eternal by providing a one- time grant of between $5 million and $10 million to assist with security costs for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

As the location of one of the most high-profile terrorist attacks in American history, the museum shoulders more than $1 million per month in security costs to protect visitors and the exhibits throughout the museum.

This grant, which would come from Department of Homeland Security's existing appropriations, will help reduce the burden of those significant security costs.

I thank Representative LaLota for his efforts to advance this legislation. As a native New Yorker and veteran of the global war on terrorism, he has a profound respect and understanding for what it means to never forget the events of September 11, 2001. His bill would help the 9/11 Memorial & Museum continue operations, fund safety measures, and provide free admission for military veterans, first responders, and victims' families.

H.R. 835 passed the House unanimously in the 118th Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support it again today.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota), the lead sponsor of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 835 ensures that the hallowed grounds on which the 9/11 Memorial & Museum are located remain a place of remembrance and honor for families, first responders, and Americans from across our great Nation.

I urge the adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act.

September 11 remains a horrific, indelible moment etched in our Nation's history. We will forever strive to honor the innocent lives lost and reckon with the sacrifices of so many.

That is why House Democrats have stepped up time and time again to support the ongoing management needs of the national September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.

Located at Ground Zero, this site is the principal tribute of remembrance to honor the lives lost on this tragic day, as well as the lives lost in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It is a hallowed ground and deserves our support. Over the years, Congress has provided significant financial support to the nonprofit organization that operates it.

This bill continues that tradition by calling on Congress to authorize the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to provide a one-time grant for security, operation, and maintenance of the grounds.

I say ``calling on'' because one big caveat is that the bill does not actually create this grant program. Due to the Freedom Caucus' budget protocols, the bill instead clarifies at the end that the grant program shall not be authorized until subsequent legislation authorizes it and that, of course, it will not be funded until a third bill passes to appropriate the money.

Those are the fiscal gymnastics necessary to comply with Republican spending protocols. Yes, even the 9/11 Memorial gets only lip service and window dressing. To be crystal clear, this bill doesn't do anything at all.

Of course, even if Congress some day passes a bill to authorize the grant envisioned here and then passes a third bill to appropriate the money for this grant, we have seen in recent days that some Republicans believe that congressional appropriations are completely optional.

Republicans in the White House are illegally stopping vital funding that Congress has ordered to be spent, and their friends in Congress are defending them. The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee said last week that all the bills in his jurisdiction that Congress passes are actually not laws.

If we ever do create this grant, I hope no one in New York makes any enemies in this administration because apparently the administration thinks it can just ignore Congress and block the money.

Madam Speaker, I want to be clear that my criticisms are not aimed at the sponsor of this bill. He is doing everything he can to advocate for the museum under the unreasonable constraints of the Freedom Caucus and the administration. I commend his efforts.

Finally, I note that the 9/11 Museum has faced criticism from local community members since its opening for some of its content. We continue to encourage the museum's management to engage with stakeholders to ensure that the site is welcoming and representative for all. Perhaps it is something we can address in the multiple pieces of future legislation that will be necessary to actually make this grant a reality.

I wish we were here today to actually do something to support and improve the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, but unfortunately, that is not the case. On balance, this bill doesn't do any harm either. It attempts to bring attention to a very important effort. I will be voting for it, but I am disappointed that this is where things are.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee for yielding and for supporting this bill but most importantly for supporting the 9/11 families.

Madam Speaker, September 11, 2001, was not just a day of immense loss, it was a day that changed our Nation forever.

Nearly 3,000 innocent lives were taken from us in an act of unimaginable evil. First responders, driven by duty and selflessness, rushed into danger, and many never returned. Families were shattered, communities forever altered, and the scars of that day remain with us even now.

From that darkness came an incredible light, the resilience of the American spirit. We vowed on that fateful Tuesday morning never to forget and promised to honor the victims and the heroes that gave everything in the face of terror.

Today, we have a chance to uphold that promise. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum stands as a sacred place, a place of reflection, education, and unity. It is where generations can learn about the courage and sacrifice that defines us as a nation. It tells us the stories of firefighters who climbed up while others ran down, the passengers on flight 93 who fought back, and everyday Americans who became heroes.

However, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum remains a top target for terrorists and faces financial challenges stemming from the COVID-19 shutdown that threatens its ability to keep up its essential work.

My bill, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to award a one-time grant to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum for the security, operation, and maintenance of its facilities and grounds.

As a condition of receiving this grant, the museum must provide free admission for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the family members and victims of the attacks.

It also provides for dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week and allows for annual Federal audits of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum's financial statements.

This ought not to be a partisan issue. This is about honoring our history, protecting our legacy, and teaching future generations the lessons of 9/11.

We must not let the memory of that day fade. We cannot allow the heroism, the sacrifice, and the unity that followed be forgotten.

Supporting this bill means standing with the families of the fallen, with our first responders, and with every American who still carries the weight of that day on their hearts.

I urge my colleagues to join me in ensuring that we keep our promise. Let's pass the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act and uphold our commitment to the American people.