[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23845]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        SUPPORT THE SUPPLEMENTAL

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, the President has issued a supplemental 
appropriation request for $87 billion to go towards our continuing 
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal recently 
tallied the cost to our country and the economy from the 9-11 attacks. 
Another similar attack will surely happen if terrorists are left to 
their own devices.
  The terrorist attacks 2 years ago cost this country a lot of money. 
Here is just a sample: $78 billion lost in income for families of the 
victims, $21 billion to New York City for direct damage costs, $4 
billion for the Victims Fund, $18 billion to clean up Ground Zero, $6.4 
billion in reduced or lost wages for workers in New York City 
industries, $11 billion in lost business to the airline industry, and 
$15 billion Federal bailout of the airline industry.
  Mr. Speaker, these are just a sample. The total cost, if we add all 
the ones that were included in the article, is $355 billion to the 
American people. Now we are debating this question. This would cost 
Americans a lot more money if we do not pass this supplemental.
  Mr. Speaker, the President has issued a supplemental appropriations 
request for $87 billion to go towards our continuing efforts in Iraq 
and Afghanistan.
  The Wall Street Journal recently tallied the costs to our country and 
economy from the 
9/11 attacks. Another similar attack will surely happen if terrorists 
are left to their own devices. The terrorist attacks 2 years ago cost 
much. Here is just a sample: $78 billion in lost income for families of 
the victims; $21 billion to New York City for direct damage costs; $4 
billion for the Victims' Fund; $18 billion to clean up Ground Zero; 
$700 million to repair the Pentagon; $6.4 billion in reduced or lost 
wages for workers in NYC industries; $150 billion in reduced GDP; $50 
billion in costs to the insurance industry; $11 billion in lost 
business to the airline industry; $15 billion Federal bailout of the 
airline industry; $38 billion in costs for new border security, 
protection against biological threats, and emergency preparedness; $1.3 
billion in costs to State governments for homeland security; and $33 
billion in spending by the private sector for new protective services.
  Total cost of these and others is over $355 billion to the American 
people. Now we are debating spending $87 billion to prevent terrorists 
from taking over a weak nation? If we left Iraq in the condition as it 
was before, or is now after, the end of the Saddam regime, we would be 
guilty of allowing terrorists and their power and pocketbooks to 
fester. This would cost Americans a lot more money, not to mention 
lives.

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