[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 2, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H6104-H6105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE DISPLACED WORKERS ASSISTANCE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Baca) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, last month the House of Representatives voted 
to help our Nation's airlines keep flying. We also promised relief for 
American workers. I will state that we promised, we promised help for 
American workers.
  I am here today to remind Members of that promise, and to remind 
Members that it is not the money that keeps our planes in the air, it 
is not the money that keeps our economy growing, it is hard-working 
Americans. We must refocus our efforts. This is not about an industry, 
this is about hard-working Americans being able to feed their families, 
being able to feed their families.
  Laid-off ground crews and flight attendants deserve a guarantee of 
health care coverage and an unemployment benefit. Also, it is our duty, 
I state, it is our duty to provide additional training to those whose 
duties will forever be changed, and I state, forever be changed.
  We all realize that over 100,000 have been laid off. In my immediate 
area, it is expected that 12,000 will be expected from L.A. 
International Airport to be laid off.
  I am also proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 2955, this Displaced 
Workers Assistance Act. That is what the bill is. Mr. Speaker, we must 
bring this bill, we must bring this bill to the floor. We must stand in 
solidarity with the airline industry workers and hundreds and thousands 
of those other hard-working Americans across the Nation impacted by 
this massive layoff and jobs lost.
  Hard work will be our Nation's strength, and I state, will be our 
Nation's strength. Hard work will fuel our self-reliance.
  Mr. Speaker, let us get to work on behalf of the airline employees. 
Let us get to work on behalf of the working people, on behalf of the 
working people affected by this tragedy across the Nation.
  On September 11, our enemy struck us at the heart. Our enemy struck 
innocent Americans, and I state, innocent Americans in their workplace, 
in their workplace, not on the battlefields. Those who died in the 
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, in the hijacked planes, died at 
work, died at work. At the top of the tower were restaurant employees 
preparing for the day, financial analysts devoted to keeping our 
economy strong, government employees securing our Nation

[[Page H6105]]

from the Pentagon. Eight pilots and 25 flight attendants were 
sacrificed for the terrorists' causes, and were struck down while doing 
their job, not to mention the 80 police officers and the 329 
firefighters who also lost their lives.
  It is impossible to imagine an event with greater capacity to compel 
America to unite in action, to unite and to take action. No citizen was 
untouched. No citizen across the United States or the world was 
untouched. Working people around the country all wanted to know what 
they could do to help. They continue to ask, ``How can we help our 
Nation?'' Firemen and women, police officers, medical crews, labored 
around the clock in dangerous and dramatic conditions. No doubt that 
their work was straining and heartbreaking, but they did it. Why? 
Because they believed in helping America.
  We, too, as Members of Congress must do all that we can. I state, we, 
too, as Members of Congress, must do all that we can. We must work for 
the American people. We must commemorate their hard work and the 
sacrifices. We must never forget that for some of those, it was the 
ultimate sacrifice.
  We must provide relief, and I state, we must provide relief related 
to the workers: the flight attendants, the pilots, the ground crew, 
security workers, as well as workers in the hospitality industry. We 
must do what is right for America. We must help working families. We 
must support this legislation. We must come together. We must bring it 
to the floor.
  Only together in solidarity in working can we bring our Nation back 
to its strength. We must all come together.

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