In Support of Jose Melendez-Perez

WHEREAS, Jose Melendez-Perez is an American hero who, after a confrontational and suspicious 90-minute secondary screening session at Orlando International Airport, prevented the intended twentieth 9/11 hijacker, Mohamed al-Kahtani, from entering the United States on August 4, 2001;

WHEREAS, several members of the 9/11 Commission have concluded that Melendez-Perezs actions aided the heroes of United Flight 93 in their revolt against the shorthanded hijackers aboard that aircraft;

WHEREAS, 9/11 Commission member Richard Ben-Veniste said, Jose Melendez-Perez is a true American hero; but for his actions in preventing the 20th hijacker, Mohamed al-Kahtani, from entering the United States, the Capitol Building might have been destroyed on 9/11, and other members of the 9/11 Commission and U.S. security community have acknowledged Melendez-Perezs heroism in the weeks preceding the 9/11 attacks;

WHEREAS, Melendez-Perez has served his country honorably for 44 years 26.5 of which he spent in the armed forces (including two tours during the Vietnam War);

WHEREAS, Melendez-Perez acknowledged that violating Customs and Border Protection policies by driving a government-issued vehicle home for the weekend, during which a government-issued firearm, ammunition and laptop were stolen, was a mistake, reflecting poor judgment and should have never happened. Throughout my 44-year career with the federal government, I have lived by my principles of personal honor and professional integrity. My actions regarding this incident fall short of that standard.

BE IT RESOLVED, that it is the will of the undersigned that Joint Terrorism Task Force Agent Jose Melendez-Perez retains his rank of Supervisory Customs and Border Protection Officer, and continues to serve as a CBP liaison on the Joint Terrorism Task Force.