Fallen Heroes of 9/11 ACT

Floor Speech

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

I rise today also in support of H.R. 3421, the Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Act, introduced November 14 by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster). Remarkably in the short 4 weeks since its introduction, it has obtained almost 330 cosponsors from this House of Representatives.

The bill before us recognizes the heroism of the men and women who died on September 11, 2001, that day just over a decade ago that changed this country and in fact changed this world and changed it forever. At three sites--seemingly unconnected on that clear, bright morning--thousands of brave men and women died in the most agonizing way and before our eyes. Each of them was a hero, and this bill awards a Congressional Gold Medal in their memory.

There will be three designs, one for each of the attack sites in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the medals struck for those sites will be displayed at the museums there that preserve the memories of that frightful day.

After the award of the medals, bronze copies of the medals will be available for purchase at a nominal price. Each design, which should be reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission on Fine Arts, is to capture the horror of that day and the majesty of those heroic deaths.

This medal will be the second and final Congressional Gold Medal to be approved during this session of the 112th Congress.

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I represent Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is the home of a 9/11 memorial for Pennsylvanians, for Americans, for all those killed on September 11, 2001. It is also the home of Ellen Saracini, widow of Captain Victor Saracini, who was the pilot of United Flight 175, which was crashed into the south tower at approximately 9:03 that morning.

He went to work, along with 2,973 other men and women lost on September 11, never imagining that they would not be returning home. For Ellen Saracini and for the other 17 families from Bucks County who lost a loved family member on that day, I want to thank my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) for offering this bill. I was proud to help him introduce it, and I humbly ask my colleagues to support it.

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

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