[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 8 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONTINUING CARE FOR RECOVERING FAMILIES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 1, 2005

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, it has only been a couple months since we 
commemorated the third anniversary of the most devastating attack 
against our country since Pearl Harbor. It was a solemn day and an 
occasion to remember the men and women who perished on that clear 
Tuesday morning. For the families of the victims, September 11 will 
always be a difficult date on the calendar. Like the World Trade Center 
families, the Pentagon families, and the families of first responders, 
the families of the greater Boston area experienced this tragedy 
personally as two of the four planes involved took off from Logan 
Airport carrying their loved ones.
  Unfortunately, for many of these brave families, their difficult days 
are not over. Many of the families who continue to struggle are now 
faced with the loss of their eligibility through the low-cost COBRA 
health insurance program.
  The COBRA program is intended to provide stability to families as 
they go through a major life transition, and for 120 days following the 
trauma of September 11th, it provided critical health insurance for 
families in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, 
and elsewhere who lost a loved one. This temporary assistance has 
already expired for many of these families and without this 
legislation, more families will lose their eligibility. Without the 
security of this program they must struggle to find affordable coverage 
in the private market, pay enormous health care premiums or go without 
health insurance.
  The families who had their loved ones taken away on September 11th 
have suffered and lost enough. The least we can do for these brave 
Americans is provide them with continued access to stable and 
affordable health insurance.
  That is why Senator Kennedy and I are introducing the ``Continuing 
Care for Recovering Families Act.'' This legislation will allow 
families of victims of September 11th to buy health care coverage under 
the federal COBRA program--the temporary low-cost continuation of 
coverage available for those who change their job, lose their job or 
for families that lose their chief income earner through death.
  The families who lost their loved ones on September 11th continue to 
face the hardship and trauma of that devastating day with courage and 
determination. We should do whatever we can to ease the pain of these 
brave Americans, and I am proud to be introducing legislation today 
with Senator Kennedy to provide these families with continued access to 
low-cost, quality health care.
  I urge the Congress to act quickly to ensure that these brave 
families not have to go without the security and piece of mind that 
medical insurance provides.

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