Honoring the City of Minneapolis, First Responders, and the Citizens of Minnesota for their Valiant Efforts in Responding to the Collapse of the ...

Floor Speech

HONORING THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA FOR THEIR VALIANT EFFORTS IN RESPONDING TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE INTERSTATE ROUTE 35W MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE -- (House of Representatives - September 05, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Congressman Walz, it would go without saying that the Twin Cities, my district, is doing whatever we can in support both with volunteers, with thoughts, with prayers, and with anything that would come forward in a special session to support the tragedy that has taken place in southern Minnesota. And much of what we can say about our first responders we can also say about the first responders in your district.

Madam Speaker, it has been just over a month since we saw the unthinkable happen in Minneapolis; the collapse of the I-35W bridge into the Mississippi River shocked our Nation. For Minnesotans, it was only the beginning of an ordeal that we will never forget.

In the hours and days that followed, we waited quietly for the word of missing loved ones. We watched anxiously as skilled Navy and FBI divers searched the treacherous wreckage and felt our hearts grow heavy again when we heard the news of each recovered victim. A month later, we continue to grieve for the 13 who lost their lives that evening, six of them my constituents.

Our prayers are with the survivors, whose deep physical and emotional injuries have yet to heal. But along with the twisted metal and sunken concrete, the aftermath of the bridge collapse also brought us the unforgettable images of courage and hope. The off-duty firefighter, without any diving gear, going under the water again and again to search cars for trapped victims; the bus driver, counselors, and others on the bridge who threw open the emergency exit of a yellow school bus and made sure that all 61 of the children got to safety.

The bridge's collapse may have shocked the Nation, but the response of Minnesota's emergency personnel, public servants and ordinary citizens awed and inspired the Nation. Again and again my colleagues in Congress have approached me to express their amazement at the compassion and strength of our community.

Madam Speaker, this resolution honors the courage and selflessness of all Minnesotans involved in this disaster. It honors the first responders who rushed to the scene evacuating scores of victims and saving countless lives. It honors the medical personnel who worked and still work tirelessly to heal the injured. It honors the local and national recovery teams who carried out the excruciating and difficult search of the wreckage and bringing closure to the family and friends of the victims. It honors ordinary Minnesotans who were at every step of the way, from those who dove into the water to save lives immediately after the collapse to those who continue to offer time, material support, emotional comfort for grieving families today.

Our recovery effort is not over yet. The Twin Cities community will feel the consequences of the bridge's collapse for years to come. As we turn to the task of adjusting our daily commutes and planning to rebuild the bridge, we must also begin to repair and rebuild the other bridges and infrastructure in Minnesota that are in danger. We also must work to rebuild the infrastructure across this Nation.

This resolution honors the strength, the sympathy, the steadfastness of the people of Minnesota that we saw so clearly in the wake of this tragedy. And I have faith that these same courageous qualities will see us through the challenges ahead.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source