Cloture Motion

Floor Speech

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Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, at 5:30 p.m. on September 11, 2001, members of Indiana Task Force One left Indianapolis to head to New York City. Task Force One is our State's search and rescue squad, made up of our bravest and most selfless first responders who deploy around the country in times of emergency.

In the caravan to Ground Zero that day was Mark Rapp. Mark was a founding member of Task Force One. He was a hero's hero, a rescuer's rescuer. On March 4, 2022, Chief Mark Rapp died after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Mark, who was known by the nickname ``Bum''--that is right, ``Bum Rapp''--served the city of Indianapolis as a firefighter for 37 years. He retired as a battalion chief of training in 2017.

In 1993, Mark received the Medal of Bravery for the risky rescue of a small child from a dangerous apartment fire. He is also a recipient of the American Red Cross Heroism Award, the Operations Firefighter of the Year Award, and the Peer Leadership Award for his work as a role model for the force.

For 10 years, he led the Indianapolis Fire Department's Clothe-A- Child Program, wherein young people in need shop for clothing alongside a firefighter; and Mark was a deeply involved father. He built a log cabin in the Outdoor Lab at Indian Creek Elementary School. For over 20 years, he worked on the ``chain gang'' at Lawrence North High School football games. His sons, Mark, Jr., and Greg, eventually worked alongside him as firefighters.

As a member of Task Force One, Mark was deployed to assist in the aftermath of several natural disasters, including Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. He was also a certified rescue diver.

In September 2001, Mark spent 10 days at Ground Zero, leading Indiana Task Force One through the night shift during nonstop search and rescue efforts. It is believed that the lung cancer that ultimately claimed Mark's life could be traced to the toxins he inhaled in 2001. Nearly half of the 65 Task Force One members who were deployed to the World Trade Center in 2001 have reported illnesses related to their work. Mark was the fifth to have died from those illnesses.

On behalf of the people of Indianapolis, the Hoosiers, and the American people, we thank Mark Rapp, Sr., for his courage, bravery, and leadership; and our prayers are with Nancy, his wife, his three children, and all of those who love him.

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