[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 21023-21029]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  CHILDREN WHO LOST PARENT OR GUARDIAN ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, MUST BE 
                              PROVIDED FOR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Putnam). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2001, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) 
is recognized for 60 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, so many of us continue to feel 
the overwhelming impact that Americans felt after the horrific attack 
on America on September 11, 2001.
  My colleague just finished a very extensive discussion and 
explanation of the agreements and disagreements as it relates to 
Federal security and the airlines. We will have an opportunity, 
however, this week to debate that question on the floor of the House, 
those of us who support the Senate bill and the Democratic substitute 
that we hope will be presented; and of course the majority will have an 
opportunity to present their ideas to the floor.
  A couple of weeks ago we debated the question of how the President 
would respond to these horrific acts. Although the time was not long 
enough, we had the opportunity to debate the war resolution and the War 
Powers Act and to include Congress' voice and Congress' desire to have 
oversight as we send our men and women to foreign shores.
  Shortly thereafter, we debated the question of bailing out airlines. 
In the aftermath of September 11, we were told by the industry that 
they were in severe distress. Although it was not

[[Page 21024]]

sufficient time, we debated that question on the floor of the House and 
provided the airline industry with approximately $15 billion.
  I believe in providing an opportunity for these airlines to survive. 
This evening Members will hear me talk about providing an opportunity 
for employees to survive. So I do not fault what we ultimately did with 
assisting airlines. I am hoping, having the responsibility of 
representing Continental Airlines in my hometown, my congressional 
district, I do believe that we must ensure that the access to commerce, 
the free movement of people is supported. We are hoping as we begin to 
secure the airlines and to pass legislation that will provide Federal 
security for our airlines, we will see the American people accept the 
comfort, if you will, of the safety of traveling and more and more will 
travel.
  Just today we passed H. Con. Res. 243, expressing the sense of 
Congress that the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor should be 
presented to the public safety officers who have perished and select 
other public safety officers who deserve special recognition for 
outstanding valor above and beyond the call of duty in the aftermath of 
the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.
  I supported this legislation. I am gratified that the House had an 
opportunity to debate the valor of these public safety officers, the 
great thanks that we owe them, the firefighters, the emergency 
preparedness officers, the police officers and all others who worked 
those days in New York and Somerset, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C.
  We debated on the floor of the House H. Con. Res. 233. I am delighted 
that we were able to support legislation expressing the profound sorrow 
of the Congress for the death and injuries suffered by first responders 
as they endeavored to save innocent people in the aftermath of the 
terrorist acts on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 
11, 2001.
  We, in a very unified manner, supported this legislation. I am proud 
that the Congress took time to debate this and voted on this 
unanimously, almost, to the extent that Members were here. This is good 
legislation, and I support it.
  Interesting enough, however, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, 
I have not heard one full debate on the floor of the House about the 
children who suffered and are still suffering. Not one hour, not one 
moment has been debated and allowed for legislation that focuses on the 
loss of these children.
  H. Con. Res. 228 dated September 14, 2001, sponsored and cosponsored 
by over 40 to 50 Members of the United States Congress, focuses on 
these children. It seems to me that a Nation that prides itself on the 
value and investment of children and recognizes that our children are 
our future, it seems to me that the House leadership is going astray, 
that they cannot find minimal time in all of the time for suspensions 
and other initiatives, to be able to bring to the floor of the House a 
resolution that acknowledges to America we care about our children.
  This evening I am going to discuss the plight of these children and 
wonder why this House leadership in conjunction with the many Members 
who have signed H. Con. Res. 228, have not been able to bring this 
legislation to the floor. Let me read simply what it says: expressing 
the sense of Congress that the children who lost one or both parents or 
a guardian on September 11, 2001, World Trade Center and Pentagon 
tragedies, including the aircraft crash in Somerset County, 
Pennsylvania, should be provided with all necessary assistance, 
services and benefits, and urging the heads of Federal agencies 
responsible for providing such assistance, services and benefits, to 
give the highest priority to providing such assistance, services and 
benefits to those children.
  It is a simple proposition. It simply acknowledges in the law that if 
a child lost one parent or two parents, either through the tragedies of 
those airplanes or anyone lost on the ground, that you would be 
prioritized for benefits that the Federal Government might assist you 
in securing. Is it a handout legislation? No, it is not. Is it 
legislation that throws aside other needy children, children who have 
been abused, suffering from child abuse and other forms of abuse, 
sexual abuse? Absolutely not.
  It takes the bully pulpit of the United States of America and 
acknowledges this family. Acknowledges Mr. Calderon and the loss of his 
wife, Lizzie Martinez Calderon. Mr. Calderon is a bus driver in New 
York. Immediately after he finally concluded that Lizzie was not coming 
home any more, he realized he was a single parent, like many other 
parents in the United States of America, but with a connection to a 
horrific day, a situation where he could not tell his children where 
their mommy had gone. Little Naomi, 4 years old, and his baby son, 20 
months old.
  They were here in Washington with me because I felt it was important 
to bring this family here to show to the Congress that he is but one 
example of the thousands and thousands of children who have lost a 
parent or both parents. Children who waved good-bye early morning on 
September 11, 2001, children who were left at baby-sitters and day-care 
centers and schools, and parents never came home to see them.
  This resolution is simple. It simply says we need to get a handle on 
the children who have lost parents and who have lost a single parent, 
and we simply need to help them.

                              {time}  2130

  This does not have anything to do with children who are in the 
system, who are being taken care of, who are suffering from abuse. I 
have heard that excuse as to why this legislation is not moving. But I 
simply want to point to this family, and I will point to them time and 
time again about this great loss that this family has experienced. The 
tragedies of September 11, 2001, left thousands of victims from all 
around the world experiencing the devastation of the loss of a loved 
one. Those of us who have gone to Ground Zero, still seeing the seeping 
smoke, smelling the stench but most of all seeing the sense of loss, 
those of us who have seen the wall of honor, who have looked at those 
families, knowing they have come from places around the world and 
certainly those here in the United States, we realize that the words 
that the mayor of New York said are so close to our heart. Indeed, 
these attacks against all people and against all humanity are more than 
any of us can bear.
  What do you think the children are experiencing today? What about the 
quagmire of red tape and bureaucracy as it relates to a variety of 
benefits that would provide them with assistance? This legislation 
simply wants to help the children. Specifically what it does is it 
works to provide them with the needed foster care assistance, adoption 
assistance, medical, nutritional and psychological care, such 
additional care or services as may be necessary. It seeks to help 
thousands of families like the Calderon family.
  Let me talk a little bit about these tragedies. Let us just talk 
about these victims. Passengers and crew of Flight 77, Flight 11, 
Flight 93 and Flight 175, civilians and military at the Pentagon, 
thousands of civilians and rescue workers killed or injured at the 
World Trade Center, all of them, or many of them, left children behind. 
The children are what we are speaking about this evening. Let us begin 
to talk about the numbers.
  One of the concerns that this legislation would be able to address, 
this sense of Congress, is to find out how many of our children are 
lost, estimates of children impacted. The estimates vary greatly. The 
reason is because we have not had a Federal presence to assist the 
local and State governments with being able to assess the number of 
children. Based on news sources, we understand there might be 10,000 
children lost. Based upon a report in the New York Times, 15,000. We do 
know that 4,000 qualify as orphans under the Twin Towers Orphan Fund. 
One thousand five hundred children left by the 700 missing Cantor 
Fitzgerald employees alone. This is a tragedy. It is a tragedy that we 
must address. Four thousand orphans, between 10 and 15,000 children. H. 
Con. Res. 228 can help us solve that problem.

[[Page 21025]]

  I am delighted that I see on the floor one of my colleagues who was 
an original cosponsor of this legislation, the cochair of the Women's 
Caucus, a strong and eloquent voice for the rights of women and 
children who realizes that this number, which will continue to grow, 
cannot be left unattended. What kind of Nation are we if we cannot even 
attend to the needs of these children? What kind of Nation are we if we 
cannot address the concerns of the Calderon family? What kind of Nation 
are we if we cannot eliminate the bureaucratic red tape and help assist 
those many families? I am delighted to yield to such a fighter for 
children, the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald).
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her 
leadership on this issue, an issue that she has garnered as the chair 
of the Congressional Issues on Children, especially the critical role 
addressing children and mental health. I am here to join her tonight in 
her efforts to try and push through H. Con. Res. 228 as it relates to 
our children, and especially the children who have been left parentless 
with either losing one or two parents.
  I am really touched and heartened by the New York Times article 
today, ``A Nation Challenged.'' Indeed, these are challenging times for 
all of us, given the events and the tragedy of September 11, but none 
that is more challenging than that of the children who have been left 
to try to carry on with either one parent or no parents left after this 
tragedy. I was reading about this young man, his name is Aidan Fontana, 
age 5, who lost his father in that tragic fire in New York. His father 
was a firefighter. This article continues to talk about the trappings 
of a funeral when his mother finally gave in to the notion that the 
husband would not be returning and she had the funeral just the other 
day. It states here that when this young boy, age 5, Aidan, looked out 
the window and saw the spectacle of a thousand firefighters saluting 
him, he said to his mama, ``Mommy, I'll remember this day for the rest 
of my life.'' The mother said, ``Good, that's why we did it.'' She was 
trying to bring some closure. But, yet, in the aftermath of this, the 
article goes on to say that he throws tantrums when it is time for bed, 
something he has never done before. That is where the whole notion of 
H. Con. Res. 228 comes into play, when it addresses the needs of these 
children. It talks about the foster care assistance. It speaks to 
adoption assistance. There are so many children, 15,000, as the 
Congresswoman out of Texas has so eloquently put on the floor. We are 
talking about medical care, nutrition and psychological care, 
educational services. Such additional care or services are necessary in 
light of this tragedy. I am so pleased that the Congresswoman has seen 
the need to bring such a critical and important piece of legislation to 
this floor, not just because of the Women's Caucus but that is indeed 
an element by which she has brought this resolution to us, and we have 
all embraced it, but it is because of this House speaking to and 
addressing this very Nation's tragedy, this challenge that parents now 
have before them, a Nation that has been challenged to try to address 
the needs of these children. And so as she spoke about the 4,000 
qualified orphans under the Twin Towers Orphan Fund, when you talk 
about the different children missing at the Cantor Fitzgerald employees 
alone, some 1,500, I say to her, keep bearing, keep pushing on. This 
legislation is critically needed. We know that the children of our 
Nation are suffering in many ways and in need of mental health, but 
this is another group that has been added to those numbers that indeed 
need the mental health assistance, the psychological assistance and the 
nurturing assistance of all of us here in Congress.
  I urge my colleagues to join with me and all of the others who are 
original cosigners of H. Con. Res. 228 that speaks to, addresses, 
listens to and helps in the assistance of the children who have been 
befallen by the death of one or two parents. I thank the gentlewoman so 
much for yielding.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the 
gentlewoman for putting a visual face on this young boy through the 
article of the New York Times to really translate to this House what 
this legislation does. What this legislation helps us do, first of all, 
is to have a debate about children, how the children were impacted on 
September 11, but then it moves to the next step, which says this is 
going to be a long journey. Remember, the President said the war is 
going to be a long journey. But the pain and the hurt that will be 
impacting these survivors, and then these children, is going to be a 
long journey. The gentlewoman just highlighted what has been quiet, 
what has been hidden, what these now single parents and certainly as I 
indicated earlier, we know children across the Nation have suffered the 
loss of a parent. We know children across the Nation need foster care 
and need adoption. But we have never experienced this in our entire 
lifetime.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. If I might say to the gentlewoman, this is 
absolutely true. Many kids have lost their parents at an early age, 
some to illness and other catastrophic events. But this event has taken 
us not only by surprise, it has knocked us off our feet. Yet we have so 
many children who have been knocked off their feet, off their pedestal, 
if you will, of having a father to come home at night and tuck them 
into bed, of having a mother who is a flight attendant to come in after 
having circled the globe, if you will, from one end of this country to 
the other and then back home. We can think of the flight attendants 
whose husbands have talked about the loss of their wives. Yet they talk 
about now having to be the parent for the children. I say to the 
gentlewoman, this debate must be taken on this floor, because we must 
continue to raise the bar on the importance of attention to these 
children who lost their parent or parents on September 11.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the gentlewoman. She is so 
absolutely right. The issue before us is long range. I would just 
simply refer to her, because I know that she is a parent. I know that 
in her legislative leadership in the State of California, certainly she 
was very active on education issues. We are told frequently in dealing 
with teachers, in dealing with the school system, there is some latent 
impact, if you will, on children who have gone through trauma. So we do 
not know how many months, years down the road we will be experiencing 
some of the impact of this particular incident through these children, 
as indicated by these findings. But what I want to say to the 
gentlewoman and I would like to yield to her for her response, the 
difference, I think, that will befall these children slightly different 
from certainly the other sad stories of children who have lost their 
parents, this is being repeated over and over and over again. This is 
going to be the discussion of Americans over and over and over again. 
Just yesterday, we were put on a high alert. We are living this. And so 
these children cannot put it to rest. They cannot get past this. They 
cannot heal. It is important for the Federal Government to take a 
public stand of being concerned about these children.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. I am reminded of the fact that when we both 
went to New York to Ground Zero, that the very able Mayor Giuliani said 
that they see 20 funerals a day. Just think of the 20 funerals a day 
that our children see on television or even being talked about by 
friends who were friends to their father or mother whose life was lost. 
Yes, in education, as a former teacher, I have seen children who have 
gone through different traumas. You would think that they have walked 
through and there has been some finality to it. But in a month or 2 
months or even a year, it all comes back and they are back into the 
throes of a very imbalanced, they are just absolutely frustrated, 
confused, they cry. They do those things that get attention because 
they do not know what else to do given the hurt that they are bearing, 
that they are feeling because of the death of a parent. Just to think 
of these children who just in a matter of 30 minutes with the 
catastrophic thing that happened to the Twin Towers, their parent, one 
of their parents'

[[Page 21026]]

or both of their parents' lives were taken. And so I challenge all of 
us to talk about and to get to the crux of the problem of how we are 
going to deal with these children who have lost their parent or 
parents, and who are now challenged with trying to continue on in their 
little lives with this type of traumatic mental and psychological issue 
before them. I challenge every one of the Members of this House to let 
us pass H.Con.Res. 228, let us debate upon it, and let us begin to 
start addressing the needs of our children.

                              {time}  2145

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) for joining me this evening, and I 
appreciate very much her leadership on this issue. The gentlewoman 
highlighted some very important issues and particularly talking about 
the little 5-year old. What a sense of maturity for a 5-year old to say 
he will never forget this day and then to hear that he experiences 
these traumatic events at night, these kinds of episodes that he is 
experiencing. None of us are psychologists but we can imagine that he 
is going through something so tumultuous that he cannot explain it.
  In fact, the National Mental Health Association has highlighted that 
very point.
  War-related violence of the Bosnian war paralleled attacks of 
September 11, 2001. Again, violence, war-related violence on our soil.
  Years after the war, teens, from the Bosnian war of course, still 
experience chronic depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and 
grief.
  Children's normal grievance process interrupted. That, of course, is 
the process that we are talking about. We cannot bring closure if in 
the instances of many of these children the loved one's remains were 
not found. I mentioned the loss of 700 employees from Cantor 
Fitzgerald. I know this is tragic to say. Someone may be listening and 
so I do not want to emphasize it, but they were at a very high height, 
and so many of these families have not had the ability to grieve, and 
those families include children who have not had the ability to grieve.
  In addition, as we said earlier, this goes over and over again. If 
New York is showing 20 funerals a day, if the media is recounting these 
episodes, if we are still talking about finding terrorists, all of this 
reminds the children of the fact that this incident occurred but that 
they lost their parent.
  I am told that in the State of New Jersey in one city 25 dads were 
lost in that one community. If that is accurate, can you imagine the 
need for an emphasis of care there?
  This resolution does two things. One, it allows the Federal 
Government to speak in one voice about the children. Secondarily, it 
gives comfort and encouragement to State jurisdictions and local 
jurisdictions to formulate their own special task force that can assist 
the spiritual community, social service community in finding these 
families and guiding them through the process.
  These families may not all need a welfare assistance. They may need 
the Social Security death benefit. They may need educational benefits, 
but they may not need the ongoing welfare system. I do not want anyone 
to think that all the families are alike, but I can assure you they may 
need the social services and to have the social service community focus 
upon their needs.
  How many times I have spoken to parents who have gone through this 
traumatic event and they are just going through normal events, and they 
need the social service system.
  I would be happy to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Millender-McDonald).
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, when the gentlewoman talked 
about this legislation and the need for the local and State to 
integrate their coordination of services to address the needs of these 
children and families, I am reminded of the fact that we will soon have 
the aviation security bill on the floor. The one thing that we have 
talked about with that bill, with the anti-terrorism bill and all of 
the bills that have come since the tragic events of September 11, we 
have talked about the local and the States services getting together, 
public health, other health, mental health, psychological health 
services, getting together in a coordinated effort to address the needs 
that is addressed in the various pieces of legislation I have just 
mentioned.
  It is so timely now for us to bring about the same type of 
coordinating of services that addresses the needs of our children. It 
is really I think unconscionable for us not to have the children as 
part of this whole package of legislation that we speak to with 
reference to healing, trying to bring closure, trying to bring some 
sense of caring and some sense of assistance to the myriad of needs out 
there, given the September 11, but our children, the most important 
investment that we have, the future of this country, we cannot tarry 
any longer from addressing those needs that are outlined in this 
legislation.
  So, again, I thank the gentlewoman so much for her leadership on this 
and for bringing this to us, letting us now include in that final piece 
of that puzzle our children, the need to address their psychological 
and other needs given the tragic events of September 11.
  Mr. Speaker, I will yield back.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, I thank the 
gentlewoman for her leadership. I think the working relationship 
between the Congressional Children's Caucus and the Women's Caucus has 
been a steady and ongoing friendship, and I look forward to us maybe 
collaborating on hearings, briefings that would bring families like Mr. 
Calderon, who I have had the pleasure of seeing and giving him 
encouragement, but maybe some more of these families can come and brief 
us and inform us as to what other services this whole community may 
need.
  Again, it is New York. It is right here in Washington, D.C. I think 
we recall the fact that even children were lost on the planes, and I 
know that their parents are suffering.
  We are speaking about children but I am reminded of the story of the 
little boy here from Washington, students, I guess there were more than 
one, going out for a special program out in California who lost their 
lives, but there are going to be a lot of children here, New York, 
Somerset and other places because we have not accounted for the 
passengers who lived in different locations other than these places, 
and that is the concern that I have, have we reached out to all these.
  So I look forward to us maybe collaborating so that this House can 
understand better.
  Let me again reemphasize to the House what we are speaking about as 
it relates to this legislation.
  Foster care assistance. There may be a need if a single parent is the 
sole bread winner now that foster care be temporarily in place, because 
that parent is not willing nor desirous of giving up that child. He or 
she loves the child but because of the tumultuous experiences that both 
have gone through in losing another parent they need temporary 
assistance. We need to ensure that that is prioritized and those 
children are in the system in an expedited process.
  In addition to the foster care that they might be given, that because 
of these unknowns, that the foster care parent, family that they select 
has the special resources and support to help that child go through 
trauma while they are separated from their parent.
  Adoption. I indicated that there were children who lost two parents, 
remaining at day care centers, remaining at baby-sitters, remaining at 
schools. Some of them are in homes of relatives, but that may not be 
the final place for them. It may not be a place where they can continue 
to live. We appreciate families and friends that have taken in these 
children, but this may not be the final place where they are able to be 
maintained.
  Medical, nutritional and psychological care. There is no doubt this 
particular list points to teenagers, but we just heard a story about a 
5-year-old who is experiencing temper tantrums.

[[Page 21027]]

You just met Naomi, who is four and her younger brother, 20 months old, 
who are continuously asking even in my presence where their mommy was, 
calling out mommy's name.
  How do you work with children unless the Congress, in collaboration 
with local governments, begins to ask the questions are there 
sufficient services like foster care assistance, adoption assistance, 
medical nutritional and psychological care and educational services? 
These children are going to be in our school systems all over the 
country. They are going to be in classes from preschool to 
kindergarten, to primary and middle school. They are going to be in 
high school and they are going to be looking to teachers and school 
guidance counselors and others. How can we help them if we do not have 
a sense of their need?
  Additionally, we urge such agencies to maximize to the extent 
possible to take such steps to ensure that such assistance, services 
and benefits are provided within 60 days of the date of the 
determination of the death of the child's parent or guardian. That is a 
big step in this legislation.
  What we are suggesting is we want these children to be out of the 
quagmire of bureaucracy. We want their needs to be addressed quickly 
and carefully. We would like these supporters, if single parent or 
relative or friends, who have these children right now, to be able to 
get in the social service system in the right way so that the stress is 
not overly emphasized.
  It is very important that this Congress again speak to this issue. We 
had, as I indicated earlier, the Congressional Children's Caucus, a 
briefing on October 12, 2001, on the basis of moving this legislation 
forward. We had a briefing that would help to move the Congress' mind 
toward making sure our children are taken care of.
  Cindy Freidmutter, Executive Director of the Evan B. Donaldson 
Adoption Institute in New York, spoke to the very issue of how to take 
care of these children. She noted that after September 11 the Adoption 
Institute proposed the permanency project to minimize further trauma 
and uncertainty in lives of children who lost one or both parents in 
the attack.
  This project is needed due to the uncertain future faced by children 
who have lost their parent, parents or guardian. For many of these 
children, extended family members become decision makers and permanent 
care givers for these children. Some children, however, may not have a 
relative or a friend to assume parental responsibility and eventually 
enter the public welfare system. Other children find themselves moved 
from place to place and relative to relative.
  We need to embrace such programs in order to be able to step in and 
provide the social service embrace that these children need. This 
resolution will help the Department of HHS, Health and Human Services, 
begin to interface with organizations like the one represented by Cindy 
Freidmutter dealing with adoption and establishing a permanency 
project.
  It is important that as adoption is looked at for these children that 
included in the determination are new parents who can address the 
question of trauma. Again, I repeat the point, these children will be 
living through this day after day after day, month after month after 
month because we are living through this as we speak.
  Terrorists are here with us as we have come to understand. The 
Department of Justice and the Attorney General just yesterday announced 
that we are on high alert. These children will be engaged in that. 
Their classmates will be talking about it, asking them about their 
mommies and their daddies, have they come home yet, and because of 
that, this legislation is needed. We need to ensure that this 
legislation asks those agencies to be able to move quickly.
  Medical and nutritional services. Without a parent or guardian to 
provide regular medical and nutritional services, children face 
worsening situations.

                              {time}  2200

  That speaks particularly to those who may have stepped in now to help 
these children. As they have stepped in to help these children, they 
need support. The medical care covers the psychological care, and we do 
not know whether or not these children will face medical problems 
because of the stress. We do not know what the impact on little bodies 
and little minds will be, so it is important that we provide that kind 
of care.
  According to the National Mental Health Association, children who 
experience such trauma are at extreme risk of mental disorders, 
particularly in situations such as this, where ongoing trauma exists 
due to the loss of parents or a guardian. For example, as I noted in 
the Bosnian war, we are able to tell that those children still are 
impacted. But even today, with the mental health crisis that we have in 
this Nation, we realize that less than the number of children that need 
access to mental health care get access to mental health care. In fact, 
that is one of our greatest tragedies in this Nation. We are not able 
to provide those resources. We do not have them in the schools. We do 
not have them in the communities.
  That is why I have authored H.R. 75, Give a Kid a Chance mental 
health omnibus bill, to provide more community mental health centers in 
our Nation. But we do know that less than three-quarters of the 
children who need such care in America do not get the care. We have 
seen that during the months and years that we experienced enormous, 
terrible incidences of children using guns. Many of those children 
needed mental health services. So here we have a situation where a 
child is not themselves doing violent acts, but violent acts have been 
perpetrated on them by the violent loss of their parents.
  I do not know how we can stay in this House and provide the 
assistance that the President asked for, fighting terrorists, which we 
all do support; I do not know how we can debate airlines, which we all 
do support, the airlines being bailed out, and we can now debate the 
security for the airlines; we all support that. My many friends who are 
on the airlines working, stewards and stewardesses, I am very 
supportive of them getting this assistance. We want the airline 
industry to remain strong, to get stronger, and to be part of this 
economy. But can we not have a debate and pass H. Con. Res. 228 to help 
the children of this Nation and the children that have experienced this 
terrible, traumatic event.
  We need as well the educational services that this legislation 
focuses on. Clearly, children displaced from their homes, communities 
and families must be stabilized as soon as possible before further 
damage is done. The point being made is that many of these children may 
be moved from where they lived in order to stay with relatives and 
friends. They will be going into new school systems, new schools, and 
they will be there lonely and by themselves without the support 
assistance. Why? Because we have failed to establish the Federal 
Government's caring about these children in order to encourage local 
governments, wherever these children may find themselves, in whatever 
States they may find themselves, to encourage these local governments 
to be looking out for children who are the victims, if you will, of 
September 11, 2001, by the enormous loss that they have experienced.
  So educational services are very, very important. One of the most 
important factors in providing such stability immediately and in 
preventing further destabilization is maintaining the level of 
education that existed prior to the loss of the parents, or guardian. 
This resolution would help encourage again, the Department of Education 
to begin to design certain kinds of services, to even do research to be 
able to determine what these children will actually need in these 
schools, whether or not what we already have would be the appropriate, 
if you will, kind of training that the teachers should get and the 
appropriate kind of educational processes that these children can 
develop and flourish in.
  How important it is to insist that the children have as normal a life 
as possible. That is what we are trying to get with H. Con. Res. 228. 
We are trying to

[[Page 21028]]

get the Federal Government to put its official concern behind this 
terrible loss. When we have debated everything else, the economics, the 
war, we have debated supporting and encouraging and applauding and 
certainly offering our sympathy to those first responders who lost 
their lives, to those public safety officers who lost their lives, and 
I am gratified to have joined in that legislation, then do we not think 
it is time that we recognize the thousands of children, 10,000, 15,000, 
orphans already declared eligible as orphans under the Twin Towers 
Orphan Fund. Now we need to ensure that this is not short-lived, but, 
in fact, we have it in an ongoing time frame. It is very important to 
insist upon the children being considered important.
  Again, I would like to point out why that is the case and why this 
resolution should be passed and what it does. It is very simple. It 
urges the heads of Federal agencies to give the highest possible 
priority to those children. It is noncontroversial. It merely 
prioritizes the delivery of Federal benefits currently available under 
Federal law. When can we pass legislation in this House where we are 
not going into funds that we really do not have. Some members of the 
Homeland Security Task Force, led ably by the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Menendez), and I had the pleasure of working with so many Members, 
we realized that to secure this Nation, to secure it with the right 
approach, which I believe the Homeland Security Report issued last week 
by the Task Force excellently presents to the American people on ways 
to safeguard this Nation. There are other issues that we will be 
addressing in the future, but it deals with the military and the health 
and public health system. It also deals with the military, as I said 
earlier, but also securing our borders. It deals with intelligence. But 
here we have an initiative that can be delivered to the children, 
benefits currently available under Federal law. It also urges such 
agencies, existing agencies to maximize the extent possible to take 
steps to ensure such assistance, services and benefits are provided 
within 60 days of the date of the determination of the death of a 
child's parent or guardian.
  Does that seem too difficult, to be able to ensure that these 
children have a way of getting their benefits quickly? As I indicated, 
the Homeland Security Task Force recognized in its work that we would 
need financial assistance, some $3 billion to begin the process of 
securing this Nation. I am gratified that one of the focuses that they 
had was the whole idea of the public health system to ensure that we 
had a public health system that was connected throughout the Nation, 
rural areas and urban areas, and as we look to ensure that public 
health system, it would likely include access to mental health 
services. All of that certainly is something that we will look to the 
future to do. It is a very excellent road map, guide for legislative 
initiatives, but can we not, before we even begin that long journey to 
ensure the safety of this Nation, again, go back to assisting our 
children. I am unaware of why this is such a difficult proposition, to 
be able to get the heads of Federal agencies to be concerned about 
these vital needs. I raise them again. The Calderon family needs to 
have foster care assistance if that is what the family believes they 
may need to utilize. I applaud Mr. Calderon at this point because he is 
taking care of his family. But he is an example of the needs of 
families. There are families that may need adoption assistance, 
medical, nutritional and psychological care, educational services and 
such additional care or services as may be necessary in light of this 
tragedy.
  Let me speak to number 5. What we want to happen there, of course, is 
we want these communities to be able to assess what new these children 
need. This is new for all of us. We have never had war on our soil. And 
this is, in essence, like war. We do not know what additional services 
these children may need, what kind of school services they may need, 
whether or not they may need to have some sort of break in their 
educational career, if you will, and put in another system to help them 
get through the trauma. Again, we reemphasize the point that these 
children will live through this trauma over and over again.
  Let me share with my colleagues some of the letters from 
organizations that I have an enormous amount of respect for, with long 
histories in fighting for children's issues. Save the Children wrote, 
``We endorse the purpose of the resolution, which is to express the 
desire of Congress to provide immediate relief to the children who 
suffered the irreplaceable loss of parents or guardians due to the 
September 11, 2001 tragedies. On behalf of Save the Children, I am 
writing to lend our support for H. Con. Res. 228 which you introduced 
in the House of Representatives on September 14, 2001.'' This is from 
Kathleen Connolly, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy. ``Save the 
Children applauds your efforts and recognizes the immediate needs of 
the children who suffered such a great loss as a result of this 
tragedy. We see this as an essential first step and hope that we can 
continue to build upon this initiative to meet the long term needs of 
children everywhere who have been affected by these tragedies and 
potential future events.''
  Child Welfare League of America, on behalf of the Child Welfare 
League of America: ``I am writing to lend our support for H. Con. Res. 
228 which was introduced in the House on September 14. We endorse the 
purpose of this timely resolution, which is to express the desire of 
Congress, which is to provide immediate relief to these children. We 
urge all Members of Congress to join you and the resolution's 
cosponsors in supporting this legislation.'' This is from Shay Bilchik, 
their executive director.
  Orphan Foundation of America, on behalf of the Orphan Foundation of 
America: ``I am writing to lend our full support for H. Con. Res. 228, 
which was introduced on September 14,'' and they too want the Members 
of Congress to pass this.
  Children's National Medical Center has also sent its support on 
behalf of their organization to support H. Con. Res. 228, as ``This 
resolution recognizes it is vital to prioritize the delivery of 
benefits and services already available under Federal law to children 
who have incurred these great losses in the World Trade Center, 
Pentagon, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and other places. 
Importantly, the resolution recognizes that the delivery of crucial 
services and benefits is sometimes delayed due to statutory or 
administrative delay, often leaving those in need waiting for relief. 
It is essential that the children who suffered such a great loss as a 
result of this tragedy not suffer again because of delayed access to 
needed services and benefits.''
  Let me emphasize this point. This is a very important point. Benefits 
are sometimes delayed due to statutory or administrative delay. This is 
why this resolution is needed. It gives, if you will, impetus to the 
engine of government to untangle the administrative red tape, untangle 
the statutory red tape, not to violate the law, but to move forward on 
the benefits that these children may need.
  The National Association of School Psychologists likewise are 
supporting H. Con. Res. 228 and they are writing on behalf of the 
National Association of School Psychologists. ``I am writing to lend 
our full support for H. Con. Res. 228.'' If there was ever a group that 
has dealt with children and their needs, they represent over 22,000 
school psychologists who work with families and educators to promote 
youngsters' healthy development and learning. This organization 
strongly supports public policy that meet the mental health needs of 
all Americans and particularly those of children and youth. We have 
already spoken to youth about the potential of the losses that these 
children will experience, the potential psychological impact that they 
will have, and that they may need a great emphasis on psychological 
services right here.
  We have already heard about the National Mental Health Association 
has already said to us that out of the Bosnian war, we saw teenagers 
who had long term post traumatic experiences and stress that had to be 
addressed. I

[[Page 21029]]

do not see how we can even expect not to see these kinds of impacts on 
the children who lost their parents in that terrible tragedy.

                              {time}  2215

  I hope that all of them will be made whole, and that they will again 
see joy in America and joy in their lives. I know there are loving 
relatives who will be reaching out to take care of them, many of them. 
But in instances where they will need foster care or adoption 
assistance or psychological care or different kinds of educational 
care, can this Congress not step up to the plate?
  The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry likewise is 
offering their support: ``On behalf of the Academy of Child and 
Adolescent Psychiatry, I offer our full support for H. Con. Res. 228. 
The resolution recognizes that the delivery of crucial services and 
benefits is sometimes delayed.''
  Again, we emphasize that all Members of Congress should support this 
legislation. I thank Clarice J. Kestenbaum, M.D., president of this 
organization, for supporting this legislation.
  This is crucial. Why we are delaying in the passage of this I cannot 
understand. I am gratified for the interest of the Senate, the other 
body, in its review of this legislation, and I do believe that we will 
have the opportunity to see this legislation passed.
  I would hope that we will spend the next couple of days and weeks 
debating issues that will help the people who lost their loved ones; 
that we will spend time trying to help those who have been impacted 
even beyond the terrible violence of September 11, 2001.
  I would like to add to my concerns the fact that this House has not 
brought forth legislation that I have cosponsored, and many others, the 
Gephardt legislation on the help and assistance for laid-off workers. 
The headline in USA Today: ``Tough Times for Laid-Off Low-Income 
Workers.''
  ``After attacks, the jobless rate climbs and assistance is harder to 
come by for America's working poor.'' This is a long article that 
indicates that Congress has yet not finished its job.
  That is what I would say about what we owe families like the 
Calderons, who lost Lizzie Martinez Calderon, their mother. And there 
their dad is taking care of these two wonderful and beautiful children, 
children who I know will be loved so much by him and his family, though 
he indicated that he is here without many of his relatives. They need 
our help.
  H. Con. Res. 228 is a legislative initiative that needs to be passed, 
and these laid-off workers need our help, as well. Can this Congress 
only talk about nuts and bolts and not talk about the human loss, the 
sense and the depth of the feeling that these families are having, 
having to take care of these precious children without any assistance?
  Can we not encourage task forces where necessary, in areas where this 
impact is felt, that they begin to organize around assisting and 
providing for these children, making sure that the red tape, 
administrative red tape, the statutory red tape is not inhibiting or 
prohibiting the care and nurturing of these precious babies?
  House Concurrent Resolution 228 is a simple proposition. It is a 
sense of Congress. It is a statement to the American people. It is a 
statement to those States where there is an impact from the tragedy of 
September 11, where there were so many dads possibly lost in one city, 
where 4,000 orphans were possibly created at the Twin Towers, where 
there are guesstimates of between 10,000 and 15,000 children who have 
lost a parent, guardian, or parents.
  And yet on the floor of the House since September 11 we have not 
dedicated one moment to talk about our children and to pass legislation 
for these children, to encourage our Federal agencies, from the 
Department of Education to Health and Human Services to many, many 
others, to be able to talk about these children.
  Health and Human Services has a whole department dealing with mental 
health issues. I believe they should be front and center in determining 
how we can help these children.
  Mr. Speaker, as I close, let me simply say that I believe it is the 
obligation of this House to take some time to care about our babies and 
about our children. These children who have lost their parents, these 
children need our help, and we need to move H. Con. Res. 228 in order 
to help our children.

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