Press Releases

Last night, the Senate passed H.R. 2278, bipartisan legislation to designate the “September 11th National Memorial Trail,” a trail route linking the National September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Introduced by Reps. Representatives Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Don Beyer (D-VA), the bill now heads to President Biden’s desk. It previously passed the House of Representatives 423-0 and in the Senate by unanimous consent.

“As our nation continues to honor the 20th Anniversary of September 11th, we have a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting legacy that connects all three sites attacked that horrific day,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly. “The September 11 National Memorial will serve a particularly significant role – honoring the families and loved ones who were victims of the attack, and the heroes who saved countless lives on such a tragic day. I thank my colleagues Representatives Fitzpatrick and Beyer for their leadership, and the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, especially my friend David Brickley, for their steadfast and unrelenting support of this project. With the stroke of the President’s pen, our vision will be one step closer to reality.”

“The 1,300-mile September 11th National Memorial Trail is a Trail of Remembrance developed to honor the almost 3,000 Heroes of 9/11 and all of our first responders,” said

David Brickley, Founder and President Emeritus of the September 11^th National Memorial Trail Alliance. “On behalf of the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, I would like to thank Congressman Gerald Connolly and the other sponsors for their leadership, and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland for your strong support.  The 9/11 Trail, which extends across six states and the District of Columbia, is a living monument to ensure that we never forget America’s worst terrorist attack on our shores, and our country’s resilience and resolve in the face of adversity.”

“We’re grateful for the support of Congress. With this federal designation, the 9/11 National Memorial Trail will continue to serve as an active memorial to those who passed on 9/11, those who served as heroes, and the family and friends that provide an inspiration to those who will use the Trail today and for generations to come,” said Tom Baxter, president of the Sept. 11 National Memorial Trail Alliance.” 

The September 11th National Memorial Trail is a 1,300-mile system of trails and roadways that are a symbol of resiliency and character that links the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C and the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It serves as a tribute to the fallen men and women who perished on September 11, 2001.

The Trail’s design constitutes a triangular route that will pass through some of the most beautiful and historic parts of the United States. Starting at the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, the Trail will extend northwest to the Flight 93 National Memorial. It will then continue east to New York City’s National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The Trail then heads south following the East Coast Greenway connecting to the 9/11 Memorial Garden of Reflection. It then connects to the National Mall in Washington D.C. and ultimately returns to the Pentagon Memorial.

The legislation is endorsed by the September 11 National Memorial Trail Alliance.

Text of the legislation is available here.