[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H687-H688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MICHAEL WEINSTOCK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Santos) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SANTOS. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor a former volunteer 
firefighter who was at Ground Zero on 9/11, Michael Weinstock. He was 
an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn's special victim's bureau 
and a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
  On the morning of 9/11, Michael witnessed the black smoke billowing 
out of the World Trade Center. Without thought, he voluntarily rode 
with first responders to help in any way he could. Michael had been 
unloading medical equipment out of an ambulance when the South Tower 
crumbled and nearly crushed Michael to death.
  Today, Michael suffers from a painful and incurable disease: 
neuropathy.
  Michael has been a strong advocate for neuropathy to be covered by 
the World Trade Center Health Program. Neuropathy is a medical 
condition that results in damage to the nerves outside the brain and 
spinal cord. Those who suffer from neuropathy experience weakness and 
numbness which typically occurs in the hands or feet. This can be 
incredibly painful and debilitating, and many are unable to live normal 
lives. This is also known as the suicide disease due to limited 
effective treatments and the fact that there is no cure.
  Studies from the International Journal of Environmental Research and 
Public Health have linked neuropathy with the 9/11 dust. The data from 
the 2019 study found that nearly 10,000 firefighters and emergency 
medical workers were exposed to toxins at the World Trade Center.
  The World Trade Center Health Program covered conditions categories 
include: acute and traumatic injuries, airway and digestive disorders, 
cancers, and mental health conditions, to name a few.
  In 2016, the World Trade Center Health Program was petitioned to add 
peripheral neuropathy to its list of covered conditions, which it 
declined to do. In 2017, an FDNY responder again petitioned the program 
to add peripheral neuropathy to its covered conditions list. 
Unfortunately, the World Trade Center Health Program declined to update 
its list a second time citing insufficient evidence.
  Michael's story is one of many that have yet to be told to a wider 
audience. This issue goes beyond the political pale of Republican 
versus Democrat. As a Member of the 118th Congress, I will use this 
opportunity to raise awareness of what the men and women who suffer 
from this debilitating disease are going through due to the exposure of 
the toxins from the World Trade Center.
  Since the World Trade Center Health Program does not cover 
neuropathy, people like Michael must pay out of pocket for treatment, 
medication, and other medical needs.

[[Page H688]]

  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues that we work together and find a 
solution to have conditions such as neuropathy be covered under the 
World Trade Center Health Program.
  Tomorrow, I will be proud to have Michael as my guest for the State 
of the Union Address. I am proud to be his Member, as he is a 
constituent of the Third Congressional District.

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