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[Page: S8367]  GPO's PDF
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   Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I come to the floor today to honor the heroism of Alan Beaven--a Californian aboard Flight 93 who helped prevent the terrorists from crashing another airplane into its intended target on September 11, 2001.

   As we approach the one-year anniversary of that horrible day, our thoughts turn to the heroes like Alan who gave their lives to save others.

   To honor the courageous passengers of Flight 93, I joined Senator SPECTER to co-sponsor the ``Flight 93 National Memorial Act,'' which I believe the Senate will pass today to establish a

[Page: S8368]  GPO's PDF

   I believe it is important to pass this legislation before the anniversary of September 11 to appropriately recognize the heroism of Alan Beaven and the other Flight 93 passengers.

   I would like to take a few moments to tell the world about Alan and his family.

   Alan Beaven wasn't supposed to be on Flight 93 that tragic day. On Monday, September 10, Alan and his wife Kimberly were in New York planning for a year long sabbatical in India to work for a humanitarian foundation. Alan was a top environmental lawyer in San Francisco who planned to volunteer his services in India.

   Alan was headed east, not west, but there was one last case involving pollution in the American River near Sacramento and settlement talks had broken down that Monday. Alan had to head back.

   Tuesday morning Alan drove to Newark, New Jersey to catch a flight to the West Coast. Flight 93 was 40 minutes late that day--giving passengers onboard time to learn about the planes that had crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A few called home on cell phones to express their love and say that a group of passengers were determined to fight back against the hijackers--Alan Beaven was one of those brave men.

   No one knows for sure what happened aboard that airplane, but we do know countless lives were saved when that plane was diverted from its intended target.

   Even though Alan's seat was in the back of the airplane, his remains were found in the cockpit at the crash site in Pennsylvania. The Beaven family has also heard Alan on the cockpit voice recorder, so it is clear that Alan, standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing over 200 pounds, fought with the hijackers.

   I will enter two letters I have received from the Beaven family into the RECORD. Alan's wife, Kimberly, and his son, Chris, wrote to me about what they heard on the cockpit voice recorder in April when the families of the passengers of Flight 93 were allowed to listen to the struggle aboard the aircraft.

   My heart goes out to Alan's wife, Kimberly, and his three children John, Chris, and Sonali. John earned a biology degree at UC San Diego where he was captain of the baseball team and an Olympic torch bearer when the torch went through Sacramento on its way to Salt Lake City this past winter. John's brother Chris attends Loyola Marymount University and sister Sonali is 5-years-old.

   Alan's great joy was his family. He spent hours reading to Sonali, scuba diving with Chris, and playing catch with John.

   In fact, John's early memories of his father were of the two of them playing catch for hours on end. When John was 5, the family moved from London to New York and before they could drop off their luggage, young John made Alan play catch in Central Park.

   In a tribute to Alan, the Beaven family decided not to have a funeral, but instead a ``Thanksgiving for the life of Alan Anthony Beaven.''

   And what a life it was.

   Alan was born in New Zealand on October 15, 1952. He worked as an attorney in New Zealand, England, New York, and California. As a top environmental lawyer, Alan worked on over 100 clean water cases in just 10 years in California.

   Friends and family of Alan say they are not surprised that Alan risked his own life so selflessly to save others.

   The day after the terrorist attacks on our nation, Alan's secretary went into his office and found a single piece of paper tacked up at eye level on the wall in front of his desk. It was a quote he heard that week which summed up how he lived his life, and how he ended it when he joined others to fight back against the terrorists. Alan wrote, ``Fear, who cares?'' And these words adequately describe his actions aboard Flight 93.

   I did not know Alan Beaven, but this quote tells me all I need to know about him--that he was a fearless, loving, and devoted man.

   One year later, it is clear that our Nation has lost a superstar environmental lawyer, a loving father and husband, and a true hero--Alan Beaven.

   I ask unanimous consent to print the two letters to which I referred in the RECORD.

   There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

   August 9, 2002.
Hon. DIANNE FEINSTEIN,
U.S. Senator, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

   DEAR SENATOR FEINSTEIN: My father, Alan Beaven, was among those 33 passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. Their hurried steps toward the cockpit were the first in an international campaign against the threat of fanatical hostility. For this they should be celebrated.

   My dad played a central role in the deposing of his flight's assailants. Not only did he cooperate in an organized effort but he commanded it as well. for this effort he should be particularly acknowledged.

   The cockpit recorder (C.V.R.) substantiates my claim of his exceptional heroism. At a private listening in Princeton, New Jersey I twice heard his accented words. His final phrase, ``Turn up!'' was shouted at 10:02:17.3 on the official C.V.R transcript. Given the range of sensitivity of the cockpit microphones and my father's seating placement in the rear of the plane I reasonably believe that these findings indicate my dad's extraordinary actions.

   Secondly, my father's remains were recovered in the front of the aircraft. Authorities confirmed that D.N.A. testing placed him in the cockpit at the time of impact. Again, given his seating placement, this evidence undoubtedly proves his centrality in the effort to regain custody of United's Flight 93.

   Though my father did not place a telephone call in his final hour, other such correspondences indicate his exceptional involvement. Reports were made of great men well above the height of six feet leading the passengers toward the captured cockpit. My dad, 6¬3" and 215 lbs., was one of few men who met this description.

   Finally, the assumption of his extraordinary bravery in death is founded on the thematic valiance of his life. Whether in his professional or personal activities he met opposition with strength and spirit. It is understood by all who knew him that he continued this trend in passing.

   In conclusion, I concede that assumptions based on the thematic valiance of his life do not warrant superlative public recognition. However, his stature and his physical placement at impact beg it. Finally, the cockpit voice recording demands it. I ask you to do all in your power to issue due credit to my father. He led a group that led a nation that led an international campaign against the threat of fanatical hostility. My father is a hero.

   Sincerely,
CHRIS BEAVEN.

--

   August 1, 2002.
Hon. DIANNE FEINSTEIN,
U.S. Senate, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

   DEAR SENATOR FEINSTEIN: On April 18, 2002 in Princeton, NJ, I heard the voice of my husband, Alan Beaven, on the cockpit voice recorder of United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.

   I know without a doubt that I heard Alan's voice shout ``Turn up!'' at the time on the tape's clock of 10:02:17.3. My stepson, Chris Beaven, who was listening to the VCR at the same time, independently made note of the exact same words and time.

   There are at least two other occasions that I am very confident that Alan's voice was recorded. These additional times were of shouting and ``aargh'' noises, familiar to us as Alan often ``wrestled'' playfully with his sons. The distinct sounds were very similar. The times I noted for these sounds were 9:38:36.3 and 9:40:17.7.

   As you know, Alan's physical remains were found in the cockpit area of the plane. Alan was a 6 foot 3 inch, 205 lb powerful man. A brilliant litigator who made his life's work fighting for justice. I, and all who knew Alan, know he was an active participant that fateful day.

   Please ensure that Alan Beaven and all the passengers of Flight 93 are duly honored for their heroic actions in preventing the terrorists from destroying their intended target in Washington, D.C.

   Sincerely,
MRS. KIMBERLY BEAVEN.

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