Expressing Condolences to the Families, Friends, and Loved Ones of the Victims of the Crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and Pat 25

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEYER. Mr. Speaker, I add my thanks and my condolences, and the very real grief of my constituents and neighbors, to what has already been said.

We are here today to honor the lives lost on American Eagle Flight 5342 and the brave souls aboard the PAT 25 helicopter. Each of them was more than a passenger and more than a soldier. They were loved ones-- friends, parents, classmates, children, teammates, and colleagues-- whose very presence made the world better.

While the flight manifest has not been shared, from the names that have been shared publicly, I want to specifically mention those who lived in the Eighth District of Virginia. They are Vikesh Patel; Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara; Olesya Taylor and her daughter, Olivia Ter; Yu ``Joe'' Zhou, Kaiyan Mao, and their son, Eddie Zhou; and members of the Haynos family, Stephanie, Roger, and their son, Cory.

We take time to remember them today. I express my deep condolences to their family. I reiterate my heartfelt thanks to the first responders supporting this effort. They heard the call, and they rushed out immediately, risking their lives in the deadly cold and the icy waters of the Potomac as part of the rescue operations.

These include the best of Virginia's Eighth. They are the fire departments, emergency management teams, and police departments of the city of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, the city of Falls Church, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

I would also like to recognize the Federal agencies working on the recovery and investigation, including the National Transportation Safety Board, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Coast Guard, the Army, and all the others who contributed.

I thank those from local jurisdictions, including hospitals, mental health providers, and even caring neighbors and support services, who offered on-the-scene support to our emergency responders and who continue to support those impacted.

Mr. Speaker, mental health is critically important. I want to stress how many people have been impacted by this tragedy and how important it is that we connect folks to resources and help.

Finally, I thank all the air traffic controllers, the MWAA employees, and the DCA employees who have returned to their jobs and worked tirelessly to keep our airspace safe. I know it has to be incredibly difficult, working in close proximity to this tragedy and seeing the recovery efforts while completing their jobs. My heart goes out to them, and we thank them for their professionalism in this trying time.

Mr. Speaker, in sorrow and shared humanity, I wholeheartedly support this resolution.

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