Karen Bass: “Mr. Speaker, a little more than 2 months ago, America was visited by an unspeakable horror. For the first time in more…”

“Mr. Speaker, a little more than 2 months ago, America was visited by an unspeakable horror. For the first time in more than a century and a half, this Nation was attacked viciously on its own home territory. In the weeks since September 11, the Nation has mourned, has expressed anger, has been anxious, concerned, but also very generous. The American spirit has reached levels that now stands as a symbol of this Nation's greatness and ability to support a just cause, the relief of the victims of these tragedies and their families. But we have also seen the darker side of humanity. Reports of people using this tragedy and the generous American spirit for their own gain have appeared. The Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the States attorneys general have some powers to prosecute those engaged in fraud and deceptive practices, but we must make it clear that we will severely punish those who aim to take advantage of America's charity or an organization's good name during an emergency. Congress must also make sure that consumers are not inundated with false and deceptive claims about goods and services that would exploit the circumstances of an emergency or disaster.”