STATEMENT
by the
Honorable Nydia M. Velázquez
On the Floor of the House of Representatives
June 25, 2002
I rise today on behalf of a grateful nation. Less than three
months before the anniversary of the worst act of terrorism
in our history, a small group of volunteer small business
professionals from across the country completed replacement
of more than an acre of hard slate roof over the Pentagon.
Earlier this morning, many of us participated in a ceremony
at the Pentagon to recognize the work of these selfless
Americans, and we are here again to thank them for their
patriotic generosity.
Small businesses work for America. They anchor
our communities and neighborhoods. They create three-fourths
of all new jobs, employ half our workers and produce nearly
half our GDP. They hauled us out of our last recession into
the longest peacetime boom on record. They did it before,
and they're doing it again.
But that's not all. When they lock up for
the night, small business owners are out in the community
--- volunteering in schools, coaching little league, donating
their time and expertise to neighborhood improvement.
But even when it didn't seem possible that
small businesses could give any more, they did. When terrorists
crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon on
September 11th --- small businesses stepped forward to help.
Leading the way were John and Kimberly Francis,
owners of Northern Virginia Roofing in Falls Church, Virginia.
After September 11, they joined millions of Americans in
wanting to do something, to give something back. So when
they learned of the extensive damage to the Pentagon's roof,
they decided to volunteer their particular talents. They
would "give a new roof to the Pentagon".
Soon, roofing professionals from across the
country came to volunteer their time, labor, and materials
--- rebuilding more than an acre and a half of hard slate
roof over the Pentagon. They flew in from all across the
country to Northern Virginia, they drove, they even brought
campers to work on this project.
You might remember that this wasn't the best
time if you were a small business to donate your time and
labor. The economy was in a recession and threatened to
get worse. Americans feared for their security and their
jobs. Yet these roofers knew that they had a patriotic imperative
and an historic opportunity to help heal this breach by
doing what they do best. In our darkest moment, they were
among our brightest lights.
Eight months later, $450,000 in donated material
and labor have had their desired effect. A professional
army of volunteers have given a roof to the Pentagon at
no charge to the federal government or the American taxpayer.
I hope every Member of this body is inspired
by the story of these selfless professionals. Whenever they
drive by the Pentagon, and see the rapid rebuilding and
the work crews on the job day and night, they will see a
symbol standing for all that America's small businesses
have done for this country.
Small businesses not only rebuilt the Pentagon, they rebuilt
our resolve. For that --- and for so much else --- we thank
them.
I urge the adoption of this resolution.
