July 12, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 117 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H5743-H5750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 NEVER FORGET THE HEROES: JAMES ZADROGA, RAY PFEIFER, AND LUIS ALVAREZ 
PERMANENT AUTHORIZATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND 
                                  ACT

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1327) to extend authorization for the September 11th Victim 
Compensation Fund of 2001 through fiscal year 2090, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H. R. 1327

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Never Forget the Heroes: 
     James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent 
     Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. SEPTEMBER 11TH VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND OF 2001.

       (a) Authorization and Funding.--Section 410 of the Air 
     Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act (49 U.S.C. 
     40101 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c), by striking ``$4,600,000,000'' and 
     all that follows through ``expended'' and inserting ``such 
     sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal 
     year thereafter through fiscal year 2092, to remain available 
     until expended''; and
       (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``Upon completion of all 
     payments under this title'' and inserting ``On October 1, 
     2092, or at such time thereafter as all funds are expended''.
       (b) Extension of Limitation on Claim Filing.--Section 
     405(a)(3)(B) of the Air Transportation Safety and System 
     Stabilization Act (40 U.S.C. 401010 note) is amended by 
     striking ``the date that is 5 years after the date of 
     enactment of the James Zadroga 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund 
     Reauthorization Act'' and inserting ``October 1, 2090''.
       (c) Compensation Reduced by Special Master Due to Lack of 
     Funding.--Section 406(d)(2) of the Air Transportation Safety 
     and System Stabilization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) Compensation reduced by special master due to 
     insufficient funding.--
       ``(i) In general.--In any claim in Group B as described in 
     section 405(a)(3)(C)(iii) in which, prior to the enactment of 
     the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and 
     Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th 
     Victim Compensation Fund Act, the Special Master had advised 
     the claimant that the amount of compensation has been reduced 
     on the basis of insufficient funding, the Special Master 
     shall, in the first fiscal year beginning after sufficient 
     funding becomes available under such Act, pay to the claimant 
     an amount that is, as determined by the Special Master, equal 
     to the difference between--

       ``(I) the amount the claimant would have been paid under 
     this title if sufficient funding was available to the Special 
     Master at

[[Page H5744]]

     the time the Special Master determined the amount due the 
     claimant under this title; and
       ``(II) the amount the claimant was paid under this title.

       ``(ii) Definitions.--For purposes of this subparagraph:

       ``(I) Insufficient funding.--The term `insufficient 
     funding' means funding--

       ``(aa) that is available to the Special Master under 
     section 410(c) on the day before the date of enactment of the 
     Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis 
     Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim 
     Compensation Fund Act for purposes of compensating claims in 
     Group B as described in section 405(a)(3)(C)(iii); and
       ``(bb) that the Special Master determines is insufficient 
     for purposes of compensating all such claims and complying 
     with subparagraph (A).

       ``(II) Sufficient funding.--The term `sufficient funding' 
     means funding--

       ``(aa) made available to the Special Master for purposes of 
     compensating claims in Group B as described in section 
     405(a)(3)(C)(iii) through an Act of Congress that is enacted 
     after the date on which the amount of the claim described in 
     clause (i) has been reduced; and
       ``(bb) that the Special Master determines is sufficient for 
     purposes of compensating all claims in such Group B.''.
       (d) Limitations on Noneconomic Loss.--Section 405(b)(7)(A) 
     of the of the Air Transportation Safety and System 
     Stabilization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I) 
     and (II) respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly;
       (2) by striking ``With respect to'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), with 
     respect to''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii) Exception.--The Special Master may exceed the 
     applicable limitation in clause (i) for a claim in Group B as 
     described in subsection (a)(3)(C)(iii) if the Special Master 
     determines that the claim presents special circumstances.''.
       (e) Adjustment of Annual Gross Income Limitation.--Section 
     405(b)(7)(B)(ii) of the Air Transportation Safety and System 
     Stabilization Act (40 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended by 
     striking ``$200,000.'' and inserting ``the annual gross 
     income limitation. The annual gross income limitation in 
     effect on the date of enactment of the Never Forget the 
     Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez 
     Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim 
     Compensation Fund Act is $200,000. The Special Master shall 
     periodically adjust that annual gross income limitation to 
     account for inflation.''.

     SEC. 3. APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL MASTER AND DEPUTY SPECIAL 
                   MASTERS.

       Section 404 of the Air Transportation Safety and System 
     Stabilization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Appointment of Special Master and Deputy Special 
     Masters.--The Attorney General may appoint a Special Master 
     and no more than two Deputy Special Masters without regard to 
     the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
     appointments in the competitive service. Any such employee 
     shall serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General. The 
     Attorney General shall fix the annual salary of the Special 
     Master and the Deputy Special Masters.''.

     SEC. 4. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       (a) Statutory PAYGO Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of 
     this Act shall not be entered on either PAYGO scorecard 
     maintained pursuant to section 4(d) of the Statutory Pay-As-
     You-Go Act of 2010.
       (b) Senate PAYGO Scorecards.--The budgetary effects of this 
     Act shall not be entered on any PAYGO scorecard maintained 
     for purposes of section 4106 of House Concurrent Resolution 
     71 (115th Congress).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Nadler) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, today, this body will, for what I hope is the final 
time, meet its moral obligation to provide for survivors and responders 
suffering from 9/11-related illnesses.
  This obligation is two-fold.
  First, on September 11, 2001, it was not just the city of New York 
and the Pentagon that were attacked, it was the entire country. A 
national attack has always required a national response. That is why 
responders from around the country rushed to New York to aid in the 
rescue and recovery effort in the immediate aftermath. Today, sick 
responders and survivors live in all 50 States. This is a national 
problem, and Congress must provide a national solution.
  Second, tens of thousands of responders and survivors are sick 
because the Federal Government, in its rush to get Wall Street 
reopened, ignored the evidence and the expert opinions of scientists. 
The then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency repeatedly assured 
us that the air around the World Trade Center was ``safe to breath.'' 
We knew it wasn't, but the Federal Government kept insisting it was.
  And, compounding the Federal Government's culpability was its failure 
to conduct a comprehensive cleanup of the environmental disaster 
created when the World Trade Center towers collapsed. For example, the 
EPA administrator told the public that asbestos could be cleaned from 
apartments with a damp cloth and a wet mop.
  Based on these false assurances, students were sent back to schools 
that had been contaminated with the toxic dust cloud without 
ventilation systems being cleaned first. People kept working to clear 
the pile for months with no protective equipment. Quite simply, the 
Federal Government lied, and now tens of thousands of people are sick 
with 9/11-related illnesses. It now falls to us--in the words of 
Abraham Lincoln--``to care for him who shall have borne the battle and 
for his widow and for his orphan.''
  Three times, Congress has come together to provide a health program 
and compensation for the victims of 9/11 through a victim compensation 
fund, or VCF. Most recently, in 2015, we made the World Trade Center 
Health Program effectively permanent, extended to 2090, but 
reauthorized the VCF, the victim compensation fund, for only 5 years.
  As we heard in a Judiciary Committee hearing last month, a 5-year 
authorization was not nearly long enough. People are still getting sick 
as diseases, such as cancer, often emerge only after long latency 
periods. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that, in 
the coming years, cancer claims will represent 63 percent of all claims 
before the VCF, up from 44 percent today.
  Further, as the number of sick responders and survivors continues to 
rise, the limited resources Congress provided to the VCF have proven 
inadequate and now thousands of families are facing up to 70 percent 
cuts in compensation.

                              {time}  1045

  I refuse to accept that. Every sick responder and survivor should be 
treated with the same dignity and compassion, regardless of when they 
became sick, and no one should be forced to spend their last days 
walking the Halls of Congress begging us to reauthorize this program.
  That is why we are here today, to pass what I hope will be the last 
authorization we ever need for the VCF.
  This bipartisan legislation, with over 330 cosponsors, will reverse 
all of the cuts in compensation and make those families whole. It will 
extend the authorization for the VCF through 2092, substantially the 
same timeline as the World Trade Center Health Program, and make 
technical improvements to the program.
  We have asked so much of our responders and survivors. It is time for 
us to give them the peace of mind they deserve and pass this bill once 
and for all.
  Finally, I want to take a moment to recognize the three men after 
whom we named this bill.
  James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez passed away after 
battling 9/11-related illnesses. A month ago, Detective Alvarez 
testified before the Judiciary Committee, just 24 hours before what was 
supposed to be his 69th chemotherapy treatment, a treatment he, 
ultimately, was too sick to receive. Two weeks ago, he passed away.
  Like every responder and survivor of 9/11, these three men kept 
fighting for this program, even when they knew it was too late for 
them. That is the spirit of 9/11. This bill is now their namesake, and 
we vote today in their name.

[[Page H5745]]

  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, the attacks on 9/11, designed 
to murder as many innocent people as possible, were acts of war against 
the United States. It resulted in the deaths of almost 3,000 people and 
left a smoldering pile of toxic debris in New York. But thousands of 
noble and courageous first responders scaled that smoldering pile and 
exhumed the dead with dignity. Today, the site includes the National 
September 11 Memorial.
  It is fitting that Congress do more than memorialize. We must also 
provide. The 9/11 first responders, like all first responders, deserve 
to have their sacrifices recognized through programs that reasonably 
limit their damage to their own selves and families and the sacrifice 
they entailed.
  This legislation would reauthorize the current September 11 Victim 
Compensation Fund, the medical program covering needed healthcare for 
those affected by the 9/11 incident, which has already been extended to 
the year 2090 in legislation enacted many years ago.
  This legislation before us today would extend a separate program to 
2090, namely, the program designed to compensate the same victims for 
lost earnings and other losses they suffered as a result of the 9/11 
attack. The compensation will, of course, cost money, recognizing that 
it is not mean-spirited in any way, but simply a necessity in a 
responsible budgeting process where limited Federal dollars and 
specific funds must be allocated in a formal budget composed of 
specific dollar amounts divided up by a program.
  Sadly, this bill comes to the floor without any provision to pay for 
the program, in fact, no provision at all. This bill, according to the 
Congressional Budget Office, will cost $10.2 billion, and that is 
during the first decade of the seven decades that this bill extends.
  I, like the chairman, would have preferred never to have to touch 
this bill again because it is in honor of those who served us, but, 
unfortunately, his request that he made that this will be the last time 
is not going to be true because of, inherently, the way the bill is 
being passed today. We did not sit down and get this done. The Senate 
will then have to do that as we go forward.
  So the process is, frankly, unfulfilling, although we need to 
continue to move forward. So as we look forward to this, it is 
unfortunate that we have chosen today to put risk on this compensation, 
given the fact that the Senate has got to now be a part of this 
solution.
  While the fiscal impact of this legislation will have to be addressed 
before it is signed into law, what is clear, though, is our collective 
duty to see that our first responders are treated fairly and in 
accordance with what they have already given of themselves to a 
grateful nation.
  I look forward to supporting this legislation, and that is why I am a 
cosponsor of this legislation. I urge my colleagues to do so as well. 
But it is sad to know that we will have to touch this again. And time 
will pass before this happens because the Senate will have to take this 
up and have to do what we should have done here and find that pay-for 
in a bicameral and bipartisan way so that we don't have to touch this 
again and those who are suffering will know that this body is committed 
to them.
  I commend my chairman, and I am glad that we are on this bill 
together. I just wish that we didn't have to touch it again, but we are 
going to have to. But that is not going to stand in the way, today, of 
us honoring the names on this bill and honoring every face that this 
bill will help for those who served us and our Nation.
  I fully commend this bill to the body of this House as we move 
forward today, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), one of the chief sponsors of the 
bill.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the 
gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 
1327, the Never Forget the Heroes Act, and to thank the 332 colleagues 
of mine who have cosponsored this historic, bipartisan legislation.
  When the planes hit on 9/11, our first responders did not hesitate. 
Firefighters, police officers, medical, construction workers, and 
volunteers from all around the country rushed to Ground Zero, the 
Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash sites. It was a national response 
to a national terrorist attack.
  We lost nearly 3,000 lives on that day, and in the nearly 18 years 
since the attack, the death toll continues to climb.
  We, as a nation, have a moral obligation, a double moral obligation, 
to take care of the people who took care of us and those who take care 
of them now--because they cannot work--first and foremost, for their 
service that day and in the days and weeks and months to follow; and 
secondly, because of the toxic lie our government told them: that it 
was safe to work on the site when it, clearly, was not. Because of 
their exposure to toxins, many of them have cancers and are sick and 
dying.
  In 2015, Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act, making the World Trade Center Health Program 
permanent, but it extended the Victims Compensation Fund only to 2020. 
Not only is the fund about to expire, but making matters worse, it is 
also running out of money.
  In February, the special master announced that, due to more and more 
claims, the fund does not have enough money to make it to 2020. They 
have had to reduce payouts by 50 to 70 percent, and this is devastating 
for those who depend on this fund. That is why we need to pass the 
Never Forget the Heroes Act today to fully and permanently fund the 
Victims Compensation Fund.
  These heroes and their families cannot wait any longer, and I hope 
they will never have to come back to this Congress again to ask again 
and again for help and support for their healthcare and their families. 
We need to make this fund permanent.
  If you remember 9/11, you remember that we as a nation vowed that we 
would never forget. None of us in this coalition will rest until we 
have turned that promise into a law to help the heroes who were there 
to help us.
  I join my colleagues, Jerry Nadler and Peter King, the lead sponsors 
of this bill. I thank them for their dedication and work. I thank my 
staff, and I thank the heroes who are named in our bill, Luis Alvarez, 
Ray Pfeifer, and James Zadroga, for their inspiration.
  I urge my colleagues to stand with the heroes and vote for this bill.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 5 
minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).
  Mr. KING of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for 
recognizing me, and let me also thank the gentleman for the support 
that the gentleman has given to this bill.
  When the gentleman from Georgia went on the bill, it was a major 
turning point, so I thank the gentleman for that. It also shows that 
this is not a partisan or regional issue. It affects people in all 
parties, all districts in the United States, and all States throughout 
the country.
  This was a major effort which the country came together on after 9/
11, and as a result of that, there have been casualties and deaths from 
all over the country. Now, in my own district, I had 150 people killed, 
but I believe there are going to be even more than that by the time 
these illnesses run their course.
  There are so many people in the prime of life who have been cut down 
from these 9/11 cancers, blood disorders, and the various intestinal 
tract illnesses. It has just been a horrible experience to go through 
for all of these people and their families.
  But today is a major milestone on the road to full justice for all 
those who risked their lives both on the day of 9/11 and in the days, 
weeks, and months after 9/11: those who worked down at the pile of 
Ground Zero, those who risked their lives then and are now suffering 
the consequences of that and those who will suffer the consequences in 
the years ahead. These are late-developing cancers, and that is why it 
is so important that this bill be passed.
  Let me stress again how bipartisan this is. I commend Jerry Nadler 
and Carolyn Maloney for the outstanding work they have done. This goes 
back more than 15 years that this fight has

[[Page H5746]]

gone on in one dimension or another. Hopefully, this will be the final 
struggle we have. Many details have to be worked out, but this should 
be it, today, as far as finally doing what has to be done for those men 
and women from 9/11.
  Let me also thank the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. She was instrumental in 
getting this passed back in 2010, and I want to thank the gentlewoman 
for keeping her commitment to making sure we got it done this year on a 
bipartisan basis.
  Also, we have people here today like Jake Lemonda from the UFOA, the 
Uniformed Fire Officers Association, and Gerald Fitzgerald from the 
Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York. We have people, 
again, on both sides.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Congressman Lee Zeldin and Congressman 
Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, for their efforts.
  We have to, again, make sure that the message goes out to the 
American people that this is not a regional bill. This is something 
that involves the entire Nation. This involves the commitment of the 
United States to always stand with and be with those who put their 
lives on the line for the rest of us.
  So, again, I can't emphasize enough the importance of this. The men 
and women out there, those people in our districts that we see, those 
people who we see day in and day out, week in and week out, those who 
are suffering, those who have had their benefits cut because of the 
shortage in the fund, that can never be allowed to happen. We have to 
go forward.
  And, again, I want to emphasize that this is bipartisan. This 
involves the entire Nation, and it is important that we target those 
who are the enemies here. The terrorists who attacked on
9/11 brought this about. They are the ones who caused this.
  It is the men and women who responded, who went back down to that 
pile day after day after day, week after week, month after month, doing 
what they could in the rescue and recovery effort, who showed unusual 
courage. The least we should do is show what is expected of us, and 
that is to do what has to be done to make sure that they and their 
families receive the compensation that they need and are entitled to. 
This is part of the lasting debt America has to the men and women of 9/
11 and those who worked in the days, weeks, and months afterwards.

  Madam Chair, I urge full support of this legislation. Hopefully, when 
it goes to the Senate, it will be acted on quickly. The victims of 9/11 
have been waiting too long as it is. We can't allow a day to go by. I 
urge adoption of the bill.


                Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will remind all persons in the 
gallery that they are here as guests of the House and that any 
manifestation of approval or disapproval of proceedings is in violation 
of the rules of the House.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to yield 1 
minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of 
the House, someone who has done more for this than anyone else. Without 
the gentlewoman's strong support, this bill never would have passed 
back in 2010.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for 
his kind remarks and for his tremendous leadership.
  From the first minutes of the assault on our country, Chairman Nadler 
was there to meet the needs of our country as we protected, but also to 
meet the needs of those who rushed in to save lives.
  I want to also salute Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who has worn a 
firefighters jacket through the heat of the summer now, but all spring, 
until this bill was brought up on the floor. I thank the gentlewoman 
for not only wearing the jacket, but for her relentless, persistent 
advocacy on behalf of our 9/11 heroes.
  I am so proud that this time this bill is bipartisan, and I thank the 
distinguished gentleman, Mr. King from New York, for his leadership, 
for his recognition of the bipartisan nature of what we are doing, what 
we did then and what we are doing now. I thank the gentleman, Mr. King, 
for his leadership as well.
  H.R. 1327 is the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, 
and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim 
Compensation Fund Act--a big name, a tall order, and long overdue.

                              {time}  1100

  When we talk about 9/11, we tread on sacred ground. On that dark day, 
our Nation suffered loss we could never have imagined, and we witnessed 
heroism that we will never forget.
  Because of our heroes, 9/11 is etched in our Nation's history not 
only as a day of profound loss and tragedy but also a day of powerful 
unity and resilience. On September 11 and in its aftermath, our brave 
first responders were there for us. We must always be there for them.
  The Never Forget the Heroes Act takes long-overdue action to provide 
the financial security and support that 9/11 heroes, survivors, and 
families deserve. Today, we are honored to take this action to ensure 
that all people suffering from illnesses related to 9/11 or by the 
debris removal and cleanup efforts in their aftermath and their 
families get the full awards they have been promised.
  It is critically important that we restore the compensation to those 
hit by drastic, unfair cuts and ensure that their claims will be fully 
paid in the future.
  One of the reasons that we have to have this additional legislation 
is because there are so many more diagnoses of cancer and the rest that 
followed.
  This bill honors the heroes after which it is named, James Zadroga, 
Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez. Those heroes showed courage beyond 
measure not only by running toward danger that day but by giving their 
last days to fight for all harmed on 9/11.
  We are blessed by the presence of members of their families and other 
advocates, including first responders suffering from 9/11-related 
illnesses, here in the Capitol today. They have done the outside 
organizing as we did the inside maneuvering. They have made the 
complete difference.
  I thank Jon Stewart for raising the profile of this issue so that 
when we pass the bill here today, it will be received positively by the 
United States Senate.
  Two weeks ago, as we all know, America lost Luis Alvarez, an NYPD 
detective and advocate who died from 9/11-related cancer. It was a holy 
moment for us when he testified before Congress last month before he 
was scheduled to receive his 69th round of chemotherapy. He said then 
to Congress: ``You all said you would never forget. Well, I'm here to 
make sure that you don't.''
  With this bill, we honor the sacrifice of Luis and many other heroes 
and say: We will never forget.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a strong, overwhelming, bipartisan vote for 
this bill for our responders, survivors, and their families and do so 
with eternal gratitude to them for what they have done. I urge a 
``yes'' vote.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin).
  Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his 
cosponsorship and his leadership with this issue.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our 9/11 victims, first 
responders, and their families, urging my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on 
the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis 
Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim 
Compensation Fund Act.
  First responders who worked on the pile day and night, aiding in the 
search, rescue, and cleanup efforts, were breathing in toxic debris and 
ash that are now known to have caused over 50 different types of 
cancer.
  In 2011, the Zadroga Act was signed into law to help them. Five years 
later, it was permanently reauthorized and included $4.6 billion for 
the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the very fund that we are here 
debating today.
  In February, the special master of the fund reported that current 
funding ``may be insufficient to compensate all claims,'' reporting 
that they would have to cut claims by up to 70 percent.
  As was noted, in the aftermath of 
9/11, the EPA told New Yorkers and these first responders that the air 
at Ground Zero and the surrounding area

[[Page H5747]]

was safe to breathe. The Federal Government was wrong.
  Madam Speaker, this was not a hurricane or a flood or a tornado. This 
was the largest terrorist attack ever on American soil.
  As Jon Stewart testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee, 
these terrorists weren't saying ``death to Tribeca.'' This was an 
attack on all of us as Americans. We all should be voting ``yes'' today 
as Americans.
  Yet, we are forcing sick first responders to come to Washington, 
D.C., to beg for benefits that they earned and were promised.
  Last month, Luis Alvarez was one of those first responders. After his 
appearance in D.C., he rushed home for his 69th round of chemo. 
Unfortunately, he immediately ended up in hospice and passed away.
  He shouldn't have had to come down here to fight on behalf of all of 
these other victims and first responders in the first place.
  Month after month, year after year, going back to the first time the 
Zadroga Act was passed, how many first responders have made dozens of 
trips, educating, advocating, and passionately asking Members of 
Congress for their support?
  Like so many other 9/11 first responders, this was not Lou's second 
or third time. Unfortunately, it was his last.
  Lou Alvarez was an extraordinary man. What is truly extraordinary is 
that his spirit and grit represent that of each and every one of our 9/
11 first responders. Think of all of those firefighters and others who 
rushed up to the towers when everyone else was running away. Think of 
those who ignored orders telling them to vacate the tower because they 
would not leave behind their captain.
  The experience for us in the New York area is that when we meet 
someone when we are back home in our districts, day after day after 
day, people who looked larger than life, healthy and fit on 9/11, after 
going through multiple rounds of chemo, they are losing thei battle. 
Their bodies are riddled with all forms of cancer because they exposed 
themselves to that harm when the Federal Government told them it was 
safe.

  I thank everyone who has worked so hard to get this bill passed, 
including my colleagues Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler, Pete King, and 
others. I would also like to recognize the FealGood Foundation; Jon 
Stewart; Shepard Smith, for his reporting; and so many others fighting 
tooth and nail to make passage of this bill a reality.
  Madam Speaker, I urge every single one of my colleagues in this House 
to vote ``yes,'' and I urge the Senate to take up this bill 
immediately.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel), who is the distinguished chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee.
  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding to me.
  Madam Speaker, we all remember where we were on that fateful day of 
Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Today, we finally make permanent our 
Nation's commitment to care for the heroes of 
9/11 and their families.
  We all know that within the first few seconds of the horrific attacks 
on the World Trade Center, our brave first responders rushed toward the 
wreckage to help their fellow Americans. As has been said before, many 
of the 
9/11 first responders and the survivors are now living with serious 
illnesses due to toxic pollutants that filled the air surrounding 
Ground Zero. Many of those friends and advocates are no longer with us.
  Congress created the Victim Compensation Fund in 2001, which 
committed to those Americans and their families that we will take care 
of those who rushed to the scene. I was proud to be an original 
cosponsor of the initial bill and its subsequent reauthorizations in 
2010 and 2015.
  Today, H.R. 1327 keeps Congress' promise to our 9/11 responders and 
survivors.
  I have never seen the New York delegation work this hard and together 
as we did for this bill. I thank Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Maloney, and all the 
people for the hard work and their leadership on this. We hope it gets 
passed soon in the other body.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick).
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Madam Speaker, I stand here today as a former FBI 
agent who worked in New York City side by side with these very people 
we are seeking to protect today. We are here united with our colleagues 
from both sides of the aisle to renew the 9/11 Victim Compensation 
Fund.
  Madam Speaker, as was said repeatedly on this floor, this matter is 
urgent and cannot wait any longer.
  On that fateful day nearly 18 years ago, American heroes rushed to 
save their fellow citizens without regard for their own safety. They 
paid a heavy price, with many today suffering from respiratory 
illnesses from breathing in toxic dust at Ground Zero, dust that 
contained lead, asbestos, mercury, and many other contaminants.
  Just last month, our Nation mourned the loss of Detective Luis 
Alvarez, who inspired us all with his visit to Capitol Hill this year. 
His bravery and the bravery of all the people who sacrificed must be 
honored appropriately. In his memory and to honor all the brave men and 
women who saved lives that day, we must get this done.
  Madam Speaker, as the vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers 
Caucus--24 Democrats and 24 Republicans--we have endorsed this bill. We 
worked very hard to get over the 290-cosponsor threshold to get this on 
the Consensus Calendar. It currently stands at 332 cosponsors.
  I thank Jon Stewart for elevating the profile of this bill. It was 
incredibly important for its success.
  I urge all of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to come 
together and support our Nation's heroes. ``Never forget'' must mean 
never forget.
  These are people who did the opposite of what we are all born with, 
as far as our instincts go. For every single one of us, based on our 
genetic DNA, are instincts are to run away from danger. These are men 
and women who do the opposite. They run toward the danger at great 
physical sacrifice and at great psychological and emotional sacrifice, 
all in the name of serving a cause bigger than themselves.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this and make this 
unanimous.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), who is the chairman of the 
Democratic Caucus.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Madam Speaker, I thank the chair for yielding and for 
his tremendous leadership.
  Since the tragedy on September 11, approximately 10,000 people have 
been diagnosed with cancer related to toxic smoke and dust. 
Approximately 15,000 people are suffering with asthma or other 
respiratory illnesses. Approximately 10,000 people struggle with PTSD. 
Almost 5,000 individuals are struggling with anxiety and depression. 
More than 2,000 people have died since September 11.
  The overwhelming majority of these individuals who are sick and 
afflicted are 9/11 first responders.
  The Victim Compensation Fund is expected to run out of money. In 
order to take care of these brave heroes and individuals, we vowed as a 
nation to never forget. That means looking after those brave men and 
women who sacrificed so much in the days, weeks, months, and years 
after September 11.
  Support this legislation.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline).
  Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the chairman 
of the full committee for their work on this issue, and I thank all 
those who worked on what has been a bipartisan effort. This is exactly 
the type of substantive issue that we should be focused on in the 
Judiciary Committee.
  On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked America and our way of 
life. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks in New York, northern 
Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

  When the shocking images of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 
first appeared on television, first responders were already on the 
scene. In the weeks and months that followed, these first responders 
and construction workers worked hard to find victims and to clear 
debris.
  At the time, they were told the air was safe to breathe. They and the 
American people found out later that wasn't true. The health impacts 
for

[[Page H5748]]

those who worked and lived in lower Manhattan in the months after the 
attacks are real and, in many cases, have been crippling and even 
deadly.
  That is why Congress passed legislation in 2010 to open the 9/11 
Victim Compensation Fund to first responders, construction workers, and 
others. It covers the cost of treating illnesses associated with 
exposure to toxins following the attacks.
  During the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights and Civil Liberties hearing last month, we heard from those 
suffering from illnesses tied to their service after the 9/11 attacks. 
Those who testified moved me and the Nation as they discussed the 
illnesses that have beset them nearly two decades after the attacks.
  I am pleased to be a cosponsor of legislation to renew the 9/11 
Victim Compensation Fund permanently. In honor of the sacrifices of 
James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez, this bill is called the 
Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez 
Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund 
Act. It honors thousands of others like them who have succumbed to 
their 9/11-related illnesses.
  Madam Speaker, now is the time for us to move this bill. I urge the 
Senate to pass it after the House, and I urge the President to sign it.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, how much time is remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York has 9\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Georgia has 5\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. Swalwell).
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, I was a congressional 
intern on Capitol Hill when September 11 happened, and I saw my 
colleagues go to the Capitol steps and sing, in a bipartisan fashion, 
``God Bless America.'' I saw a generation of people go into service 
because of what they saw our first responders do in New York, 
Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., that day.
  I am heartened to see today on this floor that we are uniting again 
to stand up for every victim of what happened that day. I hope we can 
get that passed in the Senate.
  I want to honor and thank James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis 
Alvarez for their work, as well as Jon Stewart. I thank him for 
bringing attention to this. Also, I thank our colleague Carolyn 
Maloney.
  I really want to thank our chairman. This was Chairman Nadler's 
district, and this has been continuing casework that the gentleman has 
worked on. It has affected the gentleman, his staff, and his 
constituents. I think it is fitting that the gentleman is the chairman 
presiding over this today.
  I am grateful the chairman has put the emotional effort and the force 
of his office into making sure this happened. It means a lot to the 
gentleman's constituents and us as colleagues to see his leadership.

                              {time}  1115

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings).
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I retired from law enforcement 8 years 
ago, but I am still amazed by and grateful for the men and women who 
rush towards danger with little regard for their own safety.
  First responders already do so much, but when there is a true 
emergency, a crisis, there is no one else who can do the job. That is 
why, when America was attacked on September 11, off-duty firefighters, 
law enforcement officers, and medical professionals showed up, and they 
joined their brothers and sisters on the front line, rushing into 
burning buildings.
  Being a first responder is not just what they do, it is who they are. 
They have earned our unwavering and timely support. We cannot ask our 
first responders to do this job while failing to cope with the 
consequences.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical 
legislation. Let us never forget our heroes.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).
  Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, we 
saw heroism and selflessness, especially the first responders who 
rushed toward danger, rescued survivors, and then spent months cleaning 
up the wreckage.
  Their selflessness was on display again last month when first 
responders encouraged us, Congress, to reauthorize the 9/11 Victim 
Compensation Fund.
  This Congress and I were particularly touched by Detective Luis 
Alvarez, who traveled to Washington during the final days of his life. 
He said: ``I'm doing okay, but there are others out there who aren't 
doing okay.'' Detective Alvarez embodied the selflessness of so many.
  On June 29, Detective Alvarez passed away, but he will be remembered 
and counted among those who gave their life for us.
  Before he died, he said: ``The government has to act like first 
responders, you know, put politics aside and let's get this bill 
done.''
  Detective Alvarez is right, and today we vote to permanently 
reauthorize VCF. First responders and their families must never again 
face uncertainty about whether their country will be there for them.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I thank our chairwoman, Carolyn Maloney, 
in particular, and Peter King. From the very beginning, they have been 
steadfast. And I say to you, the angels are singing now.
  We all know it took some kicking and screaming to get this fund 
established in the first place, but we got it through because a lot of 
people were here before that period of time and gave us that support.
  Firefighters are always there, but the work isn't over. They need our 
help. Last year, the fund announced that, due to a funding shortfall, 
injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors will receive cuts to the 
awards that they were expecting--big cuts, 50 percent, 70 percent--for 
future claims. This is unacceptable.
  So the all-clear sign after 9/11 from the Federal Government was 
premature.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from New Jersey an 
additional 30 seconds.
  Mr. PASCRELL. We have here today, and we are here today to state, it 
will never be clear until we help every first responder who has 
suffered in running to the tragedy. We need to act now.
  Originally, this program was named after my constituent, New York 
Police Department Detective James Zadroga. His service was exemplary.
  Our friends keep dying--Mr. Alvarez, Mr. Pfeifer. Ground Zero.
  Today we show that citizens care. We represent the citizens.
  Madam Speaker, I thank this body for bringing us here today.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand in support of the heroic men and 
women who ran towards the falling towers on September 11, 2001. I rise 
for those who labored that day and for months in the toxic plume of 
Ground Zero. And I stand here for their families who have borne the 
burden of that sacrifice.
  We all know it took some kicking and screaming to get this fund 
established. But we got it through and it has helped these brave 
Americans focus on their personal health and well-being. It has been 
critical.
  But the work isn't over. They need our help again. Last year the fund 
announced that due to a funding shortfall, injured and ill 9/11 
responders and survivors will receive cuts to the awards that they were 
expecting. These are big cuts: 50 percent for pending claims and 70 
percent for future claims.
  Unacceptable.
  We must act to make whole the responders, survivors, and their 
families. The words ``Never Forget'' can't be a bumper sticker--we need 
to act now.
  Thankfully, this bill extends the fund through 2090 and funds to 
ensure our first responders get the care they need.
  Originally this program was named after my constituent, NYPD 
detective James Zadroga. His service was exemplary.
  But our friends keep dying. We have added the names of NYPD detective 
Alvarez and FDNY firefighter Pfeifer, both 9/11 heroes who passed away 
from cancer and other health problems linked to Ground Zero. Their 
efforts shined a spotlight on all who are sick and dying, and helped 
get the needed care from Congress.

[[Page H5749]]

  All three devoted their lives to helping others.
  Finally, I want to thank Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney for her 
tireless work getting this bill on the floor for a vote.
  We cannot let another day pass to help these brave first responders. 
I encourage my colleagues to vote yes and hope the Senate doesn't play 
the same games we saw last time. Our first responders had and have 
America's back. Today we show, we citizen Representatives have their 
back.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman, and I thank him 
for his unbelievable leadership, along with the gentlewoman from New 
York, Carolyn Maloney, our dear friend, who wore the fireman's jacket 
for so long, and Peter King.
  I am delighted to have been a member of the Homeland Security 
Committee in those early days, banging my fist and joining them in 
saying it must be done.
  And I thank those who signed the authorization--President Obama, 
twice. And I say today, there should not be one single person who does 
not vote ``yes'' on this.
  We have a beautiful rendition of the World Trade Center. We rebuilt 
that beautiful edifice. We must rebuild these lives.
  I am reminded in an article by Luis Alvarez, in his final days, as he 
was talking to his family, he said, ``I am on the pile.'' They asked 
him what he is walking in walking on the pile, Ground Zero, where he 
went time and time again.
  And along with him, there were individual family members who came 
before our committee, those who were desperately in need, and to hear 
the special master say: I may have to cut their benefits 50 to 70 
percent.
  Lila Norstrom, who was a student, and, as well, Anesta Maria St. Rose 
Henry, the widow of Candidus Henry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Lila Norstrom was a student, and she said no one 
told them anything, but just go back to school.
  Anesta Maria St. Rose Henry said she walks around missing her 
husband, along with her children.
  And so they are not just statistics; they are broken lives and 
families. And 3,000 more will die as we go further into this time, as 
3,000 died on that date.
  And for those of us who were in this Congress on 9/11, we will never, 
never forget.
  To the young people today, be reminded of the heroes, firefighters, 
police officers, volunteers. Let us never forget, and let us always 
remember this bill and these heroes who are here, and that is James 
Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and, now, Luis Alvarez.
  Madam Speaker, let us never forget, and let us vote.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).
  Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, we are here today to have the backs of 
our first responders, especially those who stood up to terrorists that 
morning and ran directly into the burning buildings on 9/11 and stayed 
for the weeks and months that followed. They are our heroes, and they 
need our help.
  Hundreds of New Jersey and New York law enforcement, firefighters, 
EMTs, and others answered the call and rushed toward the pile as others 
ran out.
  If you ask how they were able to summon the courage, they will tell 
you they were simply doing their job that day. And Congress now has the 
opportunity to do ours.
  Too many first responders are still suffering from illnesses and 
cancers from 9/11 exposure to toxins, smoke, debris, including too many 
people who are still suffering in my district.
  Congress set up the Victim Compensation Fund to help cover 9/11 
injuries and medical expenses. Those who were exposed back in 2011 are, 
sadly, first developing symptoms now.
  More than 47,000 claims have been filed with the fund, and more than 
11,000 district claims are expected by 2020, when the fund is set to 
expire. We must act today.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the 
bipartisan H.R. 1327, Never Forget the Heroes.
  I thank Chairman Nadler, Representative Carolyn Maloney, and 
Representative Peter King for their leadership and the Problem Solvers 
Caucus for strongly supporting it.
  We have an obligation to do everything we can to stand by our first 
responders and survivors of those horrific attacks.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I will inquire through the 
Chair, does the gentleman have any more speakers?
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I have one more speaker, and then I am 
prepared to close.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I will reiterate. I know our 
staffs have talked. If he actually needs it, I will be happy to yield 
some time, if he happens to need it.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).
  Mr. SUOZZI. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, this is what the American people are hungering for: 
Democrats and Republicans working together to solve real problems in 
real people's lives.
  The Victim Compensation Fund is so important to so many people, real 
suffering that is going on in real families after people have dedicated 
their lives trying to serve other people and are now paying the 
consequences for us.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues. I want to thank 
Chairman Nadler, Congresswoman Maloney, Congressman King. I want to 
thank all the Democrats and all the Republicans who cosponsored this 
bill, and those who will vote for it today.
  I have so many friends, personal friends who volunteered days, months 
at the pile who are now suffering the consequences of having done that 
volunteer work on the pile. This is an important day for those 
families.
  I want to thank the advocates that helped to focu our attention. I 
want to thank everyone who worked together to solve a very real problem 
in real people's lives.

  This is what the United States Congress needs to be doing, and I am 
so happy to be a part of it.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  The names that have been talked about in this bill, and this bill has 
been named for them, especially Mr. Alvarez, who appeared before the 
committee, these are all stories and faces. This is definitely a bill 
that we have talked about many times.
  We have talked about them in terms of numbers. We have talked about 
them in terms of bills and line numbers and this kind of thing. But 
these are actually lives, and I think that is the thing that struck me, 
and I am glad that there is such bipartisan support on this.
  These folks should never be forgotten. They should be etched in our 
memories, for those of us, no matter where we were on 9/11, remember 
them going in. I can actually watch and still see the towers fall, 
knowing that at that moment lives perished and there were those who 
were saving others. And that is what we are here for.
  I will say--and I want this to be said, because this is on the 
Record, and I want the Senate to hear me loud and clear--I wish we 
could have finished this bill.
  We are not finished with this bill, but I am imploring Senator 
McConnell and the others to actually take this, find the pay-for, get 
it done, and send it back to us as quickly as possible so that we can 
stamp it and send it to the President. This needs to be done, and it is 
something that has to happen.
  I would encourage every Member of this body to vote for this bill 
and, at the same point, send a strong message to the Senate to fix it: 
Don't change it; don't dawdle with it; don't do anything except do your 
job over there. Put the money attached to this.
  We should have done that here. We didn't. We didn't have a pay-for, 
but they will, and we will get this done.

[[Page H5750]]

  To everybody waiting on us, this is not waiting on us. We are doing 
our job. We are going to make sure these victims are compensated, and 
we need to get it done quickly. That is why I support this. That is why 
I hope everyone on our side and the Democratic side supports this.
  Madam Speaker, this has been an important part of us moving forward, 
remembering the lives that sacrificed for us as we move forward from 
that tragic day, and I appreciate everyone who has come down to speak 
on that.
  Again, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this as we move forward, and I 
ask the Senate to quickly--I know that sometimes may be strange for the 
other body--but to quickly do their job and get this back to us so that 
we can finish this process.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, 9 years ago, I stood here and called up for 
consideration the original 9/11 bill, the James Zadroga Act.
  I want to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Majority 
Whip Clyburn for their roles in passing that bill, and now for moving 
us as quickly as possible to get this bill done.
  I also want to thank my colleagues from New York, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. King), for standing with me in this fight for so long, and to 
thank all the advocates, many of whom are here today, who have given so 
much and have worked so hard to pass this bill.
  Finally, I want to thank Lisette Morton, my longtime legislative 
director and director of policy planning and member services for the 
Committee on the Judiciary, who is leaving my team at the end of this 
month after nearly 20 years.
  Lisette worked for me on September 11, 2001, and she was tireless in 
her efforts to get a proper detoxification and cleanup after the attack 
in New York and to hold the EPA accountable for its failures. Without 
her fierce advocacy and dedication, there would be more victims today, 
and we would not be here considering this bill today. She will be 
greatly missed by this institution, by my staff, and by me.
  Now, Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. NADLER. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, Mr. Nadler has just brought up 
something that I cannot let pass.
  Lisette is not only someone who has given service to Mr. Nadler. She 
has given a great deal of service to this House and to me and to my 
staff personally.
  She will be missed on both sides of this aisle because she 
understands completely what this House should be about, and that is 
actually service and actually getting legislation done.
  Mr. NADLER. She will be greatly missed.
  Madam Speaker, I now urge all my colleagues to support this bill, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be a Never 
Forgot the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez 
Permanent Authorization cosponsor, along with another very strong group 
of bipartisan Members who will not let this opportunity to enact this 
legislation pass. Tragically, Mr. Alvarez just passed away last month 
of after providing heroic testifying in support of this bill.
  Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing. I was 
actually chairing a Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing when a group of 
cowards hijacked four airliners in order to perpetrate the worst act of 
terrorism in American history.
  Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives that day, including 700 
from my State. Who can forget the courageous first responders running 
up the stairs of the burning buildings with total disregard for their 
own safety, saving others at the expense of their own lives.
  No one remembers the shock, horror, and numbing sorrow of this day, 
however, more than the families and the close friends of the victims. I 
have worked with and befriended many family members of 9/11 victims, 
and I can state unequivocally that there would not have been a 9/11 
Commission and other historic policy initiatives without their 
extraordinary tenacity, commitment, and courage. That includes what was 
known as the four Jersey girls, widows who simply would not take ``no'' 
for an answer. They were a driving force behind the establishment of 
that very important historic commission.
  I got to know a lot of the others. I actually hired a school 
principal who lost her husband, Alan, in 9/11, and I am reminded every 
time I am in the district office, and other days as well, what she has 
lost and how painful and how sorrowful that was on that day.
  For more than 17 years, the families and the friends of those who 
died have had to endure their loss and a broken heart. Now we know the 
carnage, the consequences, the ongoing loss of life, and the health 
crisis attributable to 9/11 are even worse than anyone could have 
imagined. New cases of 9/11-caused conditions are being diagnosed by 
the doctors at the World Trade Center Health Program every day, with 
close to 12,000 cases of 9/11-caused cancers diagnosed so far, 
including 700 cases of breast cancer, 2,500 of prostate cancer, 600 of 
thyroid cancer, 500 of lung cancer, and 500 of kidney cancer.
  There have also been other kinds of catastrophic consequences, with 
people who are suffering from PTSD, some 9,500 so far and counting.
  Congress enacted the World Trade Health Center Program Fund and 
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund to provide health services for 
responders at the three crash sites, and others in the vicinity of the 
World Trade Center site for health conditions related to toxic 
exposures from the attacks.
  There are over 6,800 New Jerseyans receiving healthcare services from 
the World Trade Center Health Program, 1,200 of whom are from my 
district, constituents of mine.
  In February of this year--and this was shocking, frankly--the 
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund special master announced that, 
due to a lack of funding, the Justice Department will have to cut 
awards on pending cases by 50 percent and any new claims that are filed 
by 70 percent.
  These cuts will devastate the first responders, our firemen, police, 
and emergency personnel. They will also represent a gross injustice for 
survivors and their families who spent countless hours and days in 
search of their loved ones.
  I remember going to the site a couple of days after. I went with Tony 
Principi, who was then the Secretary of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. Unfortunately, there was a sense, a falsely conveyed sense, 
that maybe you didn't have to wear the mask, so many of those guys and 
those ladies on the ground were breathing in a toxic mix of chemicals 
that now have manifested into very serious disease.
  This is an important bill. It is bipartisan, and I thank my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle; Congresswoman Maloney for her 
leadership; and of course, all the others who are cosponsors of this 
bill. I urge the Senate to move swiftly in passing this bill so that 
these heroes can secure the health care benefits they deserve.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1327, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________