Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

This bill recognizes the importance of establishing a national memorial at the World Trade Center site as the highest honor the Nation can confer to commemorate and mourn the attacks on this Nation on September 11, 2001, and also the first attack, on February 26, 1993; and supports the efforts of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation to build a permanent memorial at the World Trade Center site.

By supporting a national memorial commemorating the attacks on the World Trade Center, we can help establish a place where all Americans can remember and learn from the tragedy of 9/11. Thousands of people from across the country and around the world visit the Trade Center site every day, and millions more will come when the memorial opens, hopefully in 2009. This bill gives us, Members of the people's House, the chance to voice our support for this substantial effort.

Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, I was here in Washington when I saw on television the attack on the World Trade Center, and I immediately went home to be with my constituents, my friends, and family in New York. Normally, when I go to New York from Washington by train, I look out the window and usually the first thing I would see about 20 miles away from New York would be the World Trade Center, the Twin Towers, and when I saw them, I knew I was almost home. That awful day, I didn't see the twin towers. I didn't see the World Trade Center. I saw only a huge plume of smoke stretching all the way down to the New Jersey shore, and it felt like my guts were being torn out.

This was a bill I wish were not needed, but we need to remember. We need to remember the charred debris, the families torn apart, the ash that made New York look like a nuclear winter, and the smell of the smoke, like death itself. We need to remember the attack on our country and the motives behind it. We also need to remember the heroism of those who rushed into burning buildings to help and the selflessness of those who from all around the country came to volunteer their services, those who donated supplies and who lined up to donate their blood all around this country, and even in foreign countries.

It is our collective responsibility never to forget what happened and to honor the lives lost by building this memorial. That is what this resolution, this bill is about. There is a broad and deep consensus that has emerged in the United States that this is a sacred site that must not be forgotten and must be honored and that this site requires the highest form of national recognition.

The memorial's design competition became the largest in history, with designs submitted by over 5,200 participants, more than 5,000 submissions from 63 nations and 49 of these United States. On January 6, 2004, a distinguished 13-member jury announced the winning memorial design, ``Reflecting Absence,'' by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. Work on the memorial began less than a month ago on August 17.

The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation has been established to manage the fund-raising and construction processes. The Memorial Foundation has a private fund-raising goal of $300 million, of which more than $133 million has already been raised from more than 20,000 donors from every State and from 11 foreign countries. I would like to encourage those who want to help or learn more to visit the Web site of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.

I would like to thank the entire New York delegation to this House, who joined me as original cosponsors and who have united behind the effort to establish a national memorial on the World Trade Center site in my district, as well as the additional cosponsors of this legislation.

I would also like to acknowledge the positive role played by the Governor of New York, George Pataki, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who have both lent their support.

I also have to thank Ranking Member Rahall for his efforts in getting this bill out of committee, and also our distinguished minority whip, Steny Hoyer, for his help in getting the bill to the floor of the House.

The establishment of a national memorial permanently commemorating the events at the World Trade Center on 9/11 will serve as a testament to the heroism of the people of New York and the people of the United States of America. It will help us all as a Nation to remember the indomitable strength of our citizens and the sacrifices made by so many, and it will serve as a continuing reminder of our ongoing obligation to provide proper care and assistance to the victims of the 9/11 attack, not only the families of those who died on 9/11 but also the first responders, the rescue and recovery workers who came from all over the country and the residents of the surrounding area who continue to suffer the health effects of that tragic day and its aftermath.

I congratulate the members of the Memorial Foundation on their efforts raising funds thus far and pledge our continued support as they begin their work on this enormous task, and I urge all my colleagues to vote for this resolution.