FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
03/26/2003

9-11 Commission to Hold Public Hearing in New York City on March 31 - April 1, 2003

Washington, DC - The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9-11 Commission, will hold its first public hearing on March 31 - April 1, 2003. The two-day hearing will be held at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House Auditorium, located at One Bowling Green, New York, NY.

The Commission is a bipartisan body created by Public Law 107-306. Its mission is to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the events of September 11, 2001, including the state of American preparedness for, and immediate response to, the terrorist attacks upon the United States.

The purpose of this hearing is to engage those whose lives were forever changed by the events of September 11 in a public dialogue about the Commission's goals and priorities. The Commission also seeks to learn about work already completed and the state of current knowledge, in order to identify the most important issues and questions requiring further investigation.

After brief opening statements by the Commissioners, they will hear from New York Governor George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, survivors, representatives of victims' families, and members of Congress. On the second day, the Commissioners will hear testimony from experts on various topics related to September 11.

The proceedings will be broadcast live on the Commission's Web site at http://www.9-11commission.gov. The hearing is also open to the public, and tickets for each day will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the entrance to the auditorium, beginning at 8:00 AM. Once the auditorium is full, the doors will be closed. For security purposes, all bags and persons will be subject to search. For more information on check-in guidelines for the public, please visit the Commission's Web site.

Media must register in advance by faxing an official registration form, which can be downloaded from the Web site. Members of the media should arrive ninety (90) minutes in advance.

Hearing Location

Hearing Agenda (Revised 03-27-03, 9:05 PM)

March 31, 2003
9:00 - 9:45 AM	Commissioners' Opening Statements
9:45 - 10:15 AM	Remarks by The Honorable Governor George Pataki, State of New York Remarks by The Honorable Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City of New York
10:15 - 11:30 AM	The Experience of the Attack Harry Waizer, Cantor Fitzgerald survivor David Lim, Port Authority Lee Ielpi, Fire Department of New York (retired) Brian Birdwell, United States Army Craig Sincock, United States Army (retired)
11:30 - 1:00 PM	Representatives of the Victims Stephen Push, Families of September 11 Mary Fetchet, Voices of September 11 Mindy Kleinberg, September 11 Advocates Allison Vadhan, Families of Flight 93
1:00 - 2:00 PM	Break
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM	The Attackers, Intelligence, and Counter-Terrorism Policy Daniel Byman, Georgetown University Abraham Sofaer, Hoover Institution Brian Jenkins, RAND Magnus Ranstorp, University of St. Andrews
Day 1 of hearing concludes. Press availability for Chair and Vice Chair.
Tuesday, April 1
9:30 - 9:45 AM	Hearing Reconvenes
9:45 - 11:00 AM	Borders, Money, and Transportation Security Glenn Fine, U.S. Department of Justice Lee Wolosky, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP Gerald Dillingham, Civil Aviation Issues, General Accounting Office
11:00 - 12:35 PM	Law Enforcement, Domestic Intelligence, and Homeland Security Michael Wermuth, RAND Steven Brill, Author of After: How America Confronted the September 12 Era Zoë Baird, Markle Foundation Randy Larsen, ANSER Institute for Homeland Security
12:30 - 1:30 PM	Break
1:30 - 3:00 PM	PANEL: Immediate Response to the Attacks Representative of FDNY Representative of NYPD Shawn Kelley, Arlington County Fire Department William Baker, American Society of Civil Engineers
Hearing concludes. Press availability for Chair and Vice Chair.