[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14583]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      9/11 HEALTH AND COMPENSATION

  (Mr. BISHOP of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support for 
the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which we will be considering 
later this morning. Consideration of this legislation is long overdue. 
Thousands of brave Americans are suffering from debilitating illnesses 
after being exposed to harmful toxins released by the debris of the 
World Trade Center.
  The bill before us provides necessary medical monitoring and 
treatment to World Trade Center first responders, and those who worked 
or lived in downtown Manhattan on September 11. It also reopens the 9/
11 Victim Compensation Fund to compensate those affected.
  This legislation will help thousands of New Yorkers, courageous 
firefighters, police officers, EMTs and clean-up workers, as well as 
the thousands of selfless individuals who rushed from every State to 
lend a hand in the rescue recovery and cleanup efforts at Ground Zero.
  Many of them are my constituents, like John Feal, who founded the 
FealGoodFoundation, which has achieved so much since September 11 to 
raise awareness and help those who answered the Nation's call upon 
learning of the attacks on lower Manhattan.
  It is imperative that we affirm our commitment to first responders 
and survivors by ensuring they have access to treatment and care. We 
should pass this bill as a solemn measure of our indebtedness and to 
honor these most deserving patriots who sacrificed their health and 
safety for their fellow Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.

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