WASHINGTON, Sep 13 -

Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) today voted to pass a resolution (H. Res. 994) remembering the attacks of September 11, 2001.

H. Res. 994, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives tonight by a vote of 395-22, commemorates 9/11 as a day of national service. It also thanks military and law enforcement for its work on 9/11 and in the war on terrorism.

Congressman Weldon took to the floor of the House during debate of the resolution to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11, particularly the many first responders who perished in the World Trade Center.

“The passion that I have for the first responders is the reason that I come to the floor today; to honor the memory of those who paid the ultimate price,” said Weldon, who is the founder of the Congressional Fire and Emergency Services Caucus and a national advocate for first responders.

Weldon also mentioned his constituent Michael Horrocks, a former Marine Corps pilot who was aboard United Flight 175, which crashed into the World Trade Center. Weldon helped his family and local community build a playground in his honor at Glenwood Elementary School.

Addressing some of the partisan rhetoric that transpired during the debate, Weldon said, “The last thing that we should be doing is playing politics with this.” He called this partisanship a dishonor to the sacrifices of those like Horrocks who perished on 9/11.

Following the World Trade Center attacks, a number of reports cited radio interoperability as a major problem that prevented first responders from being alerted to a possible building collapse. Weldon reminded his colleagues of the bipartisanship that was necessary to pass critical legislation on interoperability in order to protect America’s first responders in the wake of 9/11.

“I think there was a different President back then (in 1995) when the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee said that we didn’t have interoperable communication systems and we did nothing about it,” said Weldon. “It wasn’t until Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and I introduced legislation that passed last December that, in fact, corrected that problem and put a billion dollars on the table (to improve interoperability)." He added, "I’m proud of the fact that Democrats and Republicans have solved the problem of putting money with interoperable communications, together.”

Weldon called on his colleagues to “stop the blame.” He said, “This resolution needs our support in a bipartisan way. That’s the only way to protect America.”

● Watch a video of Congressman Weldon’s full floor speech here>