[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 9 (Wednesday, February 2, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            INTRODUCTION OF THE ``REMEMBER 9/11 HEALTH ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 2, 2005

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the ``Remember 9/11 
Health Act'' with Representatives Shays, Nadler, Owens, Ron Kind, 
McDermott, McCarthy, and Hinchey.
  During the days following September 11, 2001, tens of thousands of 
people rushed to the World Trade Center to assist in the rescue and 
recovery efforts. Their mission was clear--to help the people suffering 
from the attack. Now, more than 3 years after the attacks, rescue and 
recovery workers remain sick and out of work as a direct result of 
their exposure to Ground Zero. To make matters worse, many sick rescue 
and recovery workers no longer have health care insurance due to their 
long-term unemployment. Despite this public health emergency, there is 
still no one in charge, there is no money for treatment, there is no 
research into its cause, the monitoring program established by Congress 
can only screen a fraction of those exposed to Ground Zero and it only 
has been funded for a 5-year period, not the 20 years suggested by the 
medical community.
  To remedy this problem we are reintroducing the ``Remember 9/11 
Health Act'' (H.R. 4059 in the 108th Congress).
  The ``Remember 9/11 Health Act'' contains four main points: 
Treatment, Expanded Monitoring, Research and Coordination.
  I. Providing Treatment.--Modeled after a program that provides health 
insurance for injured volunteer forest firefighters, this bill provides 
federal health insurance to individuals suffering injuries and/or 
health problem as a result of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks. 
Recipients do not pay for any health care expenses, including 
prescription drugs and co-payments. This program also includes mental 
health coverage.
  II. Expanding Health Monitoring.--Maintains current monitoring 
program that is screening a limited number of rescue and recovery 
workers, including the separate program for the Fire Department, while 
expanding it to a level recommended by the public health community.
  III. Research.--Directs the National Institutes of Health to conduct 
or support diagnostic and treatment research for health conditions that 
are associated with the exposure to the terrorist attacks of September 
11, 2001.
  IV. Coordination.--Establishes the 9/11 Health Emergency Coordinating 
Council under the direction of the Department of Health and Human 
Services for the purpose of discussing, examining, and formulating 
recommendations for the adequacy and coordination of the Federal 
Government, State government and local governments response to the 
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
  Providing a coordinated federal response that includes not only 
monitoring, but treatment and research is the right thing to do. We 
need to send a message to rescue and recovery workers everywhere that 
if you are there for us when we need you, we will also be there when 
you need us. Anything short of that is unfair and could jeopardize the 
rescue and recovery response to future national emergency.

                          ____________________