[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21008]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



            CARING FOR THE ORPHANS OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Platts). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on September 11 Americans witnessed 
carnage and harrowing images that will be imprinted forever in our 
memory. These acts of terror helped Americans grow stronger. But as we 
pull together to rebuild our Nation and work toward a heightened sense 
of security to restore our lives, we must not forget the thousands of 
children who lost a parent or a guardian in the September 11 attacks. 
All the money and all the services in the world could never replace the 
loss of their loved ones, but although money cannot heal their scars, 
the passage of House Con. Resolution 228 can help begin to bandage 
their deep wounds.
  I am a proud original co-sponsor of H. Con. Res. 228, a resolution 
which calls for the immediate benefits for children who lost one or 
both parents or guardians in the multiple tragedies. This legislation, 
which is being spearheaded by my friend, the gentlewoman from Texas 
(Ms. Jackson-Lee), will ensure the children of September 11 attacks 
will receive foster care, medical assistance and psychological 
services, all of which they so desperately need.
  As co-chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and I recently held a briefing to discuss 
the need to prioritize Federal services and benefits for these 
children. Ron Houle of the American Red Cross, Dr. Bernard Arons from 
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and 
Cindy Friedmutter of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute in New 
York were among the many speakers who informed us on their ability to 
deliver services to these children.
  But most touching of all was the testimony of Merino Calderon and two 
of his children, Naomi, 4 years old and Nephtali, who is 20 months old. 
Their children were with us that day. And Merino, a school bus driver 
lost his beloved wife. His two children lost obviously their mother at 
the World Trade Center. Merino shared with us the difficulty of having 
to answer to his children every day the questions that they pose to 
him: ``When is mommy coming back? When is she taking us to the park 
again?''
  He is emotionally exhausted and his financial situation is 
increasingly difficult. But, Mr. Speaker, Merino Calderon is one of the 
fortunate ones because his daughter is receiving counseling, as he is 
as well. But his loving church and his loving church family have many 
other church-goers who have not had the ability to get this assistance. 
Many surviving family members and particularly children of the 
September 11 attack have yet to receive the benefits they need.
  Children who lost a parent or a guardian in this national tragedy 
need psychological and other services right now. So I ask my colleagues 
to co-sponsor and work towards passage of H. Con. Res. 228 because, 
although we will remember September 11, it is for the children for whom 
we will pass this bill because we will not forget them and we will not 
forget the sacrifices that their parents have made for our country.

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