[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DISASTER AREA HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Disaster Area 
Health and Environmental Monitoring Act with my colleagues 
Representatives Tim Bishop, Shays, Serrano, McIntyre, McDermott, and 
Schakowsky.
  During a disaster our first responders heroically rush to the 
disaster area with little regard for their personal safety in hopes of 
saving others. We owe it to them to at least monitor their health when 
it has been put at risk. Unfortunately, no such program exists. There 
is no better example of this than what has happened in the aftermath of 
9/11.
  Today, more than 3 years after 9/11, there are literally thousands of 
individuals who are still sick as a direct result of their work in and 
around Ground Zero. Included in the sick are police officers, 
firefighters, volunteers, residents, and area workers. Despite a clear 
need, there is still no one in the Federal Government in charge of 
caring for these individuals, there are no coordination among programs 
established to screen these illnesses and there is no Federal program 
that provides anyone with any treatment. This is why we are introducing 
the Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act. This is the 
companion to S. 1279, which was introduced by Senators Voinovich and 
Clinton in the Senate and passed by unanimous consent.
  The Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act would 
create a standard for a monitoring program following a disaster when 
the President determines a monitoring program is needed. This 
monitoring program would be set up to screen the health of affected 
individuals. By creating a coordinated monitoring program we can 
provide valuable information to affected individuals and we can assure 
our first responders that we will continue to care about the health 
affects after the disaster. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.

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