John Larson: “Let me first of all recognize the outstanding job that you have done both as an architect of this specific legislation…”

“Let me first of all recognize the outstanding job that you have done both as an architect of this specific legislation and your outstanding work both in the last session and this session in terms of bringing to Congress the importance and need of firefighting, as you have eloquently pointed out the need for training, the need for counseling, the need to see that there are appropriate resources there at the point of delivery. Clearly, if we have learned anything from September 11, and with all due respect to our great Federal agencies of the CIA, the FBI, our armed services, the FAA, those first on the scene, those rushing up the stairs all came from our local communities. And that was true in Pennsylvania. It was true at the Pentagon. It was true in New York City.”