SCR26JUL22

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending July 22, 2005

Senate Concurrent Resolution 26 A concurrent resolution honoring and memorializing the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93.

BRIEF

Something of a step child to the more publicized World Trade Center and Pentagon plane crashes of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was the third plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field killing all on board but not, apparently, without a fight.

It has been concluded that Flight 93 was aiming for the White House or the Capitol building before it was forced down by passengers in revolt.

The Resolution expresses gratitude for the actions of the crew and passengers and remorse at their passing and directs that the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader in the Senate and their Minority party counterparts and others to select an appropriate memorial to be placed in Washington, D.C. honoring the passenger and crew of Flight 93.

Sponsor: Senator Kent Conrad (R-ND)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent (July 18, 2005)

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Whereas on September 11, 2001, acts of war involving the hijacking of commercial airplanes were committed against the United States, killing and injuring thousands of innocent people;

Whereas 1 of the hijacked planes, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania;

Whereas while Flight 93 was still in the air, the passengers and crew, through cellular phone conversations with loved ones on the ground, learned that other hijacked airplanes had been used to attack the United States;

Whereas during those phone conversations, several of the passengers indicated that there was an agreement among the passengers and crew to try to overpower the hijackers who had taken over Flight 93;

Whereas Congress established the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (commonly referred to as `the 9-11 Commission') to study the September 11, 2001, attacks and how they occurred;

Whereas the 9-11 Commission concluded that `the nation owes a debt to the passengers of Flight 93. Their actions saved the lives of countless others, and may have saved either the U.S. Capitol or the White House from destruction.'; and

Whereas the crash of Flight 93 resulted in the death of everyone on board: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That

(1) the United States owes the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 deep respect and gratitude for their decisive actions and efforts of bravery;

(2) the United States extends its condolences to the families and friends of the passengers and crew of Flight 93;

(3) not later than October 1, 2006, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate, and the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives shall select an appropriate memorial that shall be located in the United States Capitol and that shall honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93, who saved the United States Capitol from destruction; and

(4) the memorial shall state the purpose of the honor and the names of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 on whom the honor is bestowed.

Passed the Senate July 18, 2005.

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