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[Page S4814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
9/11 VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on another matter, last Friday, in an
overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, I am happy to say that the House
reauthorized the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and made it virtually
permanent.
I want to thank all of my colleagues in the House. Above all, I want
to commend the first responders for their advocacy and support of this
legislation. The first responders are the heroes of this story. They
are the Washingtons and the Madisons and the Monroes of the 21st
century, the great Americans--each in their own modest way. Not only
did they rush to the towers on that fateful day, risking their lives to
save others, but then, when the illnesses started coming upon them,
even though many of them were sick, they came to Washington and fought
tirelessly for their brothers and sisters who might get sick in the
future. Zadroga and Feal, Pfeiffer and Alvarez--these are the names of
American heroes. They represent the greatness of America. We should
honor them now by passing the House bill to reauthorize the Victim
Compensation Fund as soon as possible--no more delays, no strings
attached, no waiting for some other must-pass vehicle to attach it to.
The bill passed the House with such overwhelmingly bipartisan support
that it deserves a clean vote in the Senate.
I say to my friend, Republican Leader McConnell: If it is good enough
for Leader McCarthy and Whip Scalise, who voted for it, surely it is
good enough for the Republican leader in the Senate.
Only 12 voted against it. So many very conservative Republicans--many
tea party Republicans--voted for the bill in the House. That bill is
the bill that should be brought to the floor, brought here quickly. It
will pass overwhelmingly and could be on the President's desk,
certainly in the next week.
If Leader McConnell would put this bill on the floor this week, it
would pass this week. It would go to the President's desk this week. It
would be signed into law this week, and we could put this issue to rest
this week, once and for all.
We can't put the illnesses to rest. Those first responders, many of
whom have gotten ill, too many of whom have passed away, and many more
of whom have these illnesses in their bodies but they don't even know
it yet--they could then do their job of helping heal their fellow first
responders and helping heal themselves and looking after their
families. They wouldn't have to keep coming here.
We need to move this bill quickly. I urge Leader McConnell, once
again, to put the bill on the floor, honor those brave first responders
who are no different from our soldiers and our Armed Forces who rushed
to danger and risked their lives for us and our freedom. Put it on the
floor, and we can get this done. We can get it done this week.
I yield the floor.
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