Joe Lieberman: “I rise today to support the Carnahan amendment. All of America was shaken by the horrendous events of September 11.…”

“I rise today to support the Carnahan amendment. All of America was shaken by the horrendous events of September 11. America's heart still aches for the thousands of people who lost their lives and whose lives have been altered permanently in one way or another. And now, as we watch America valiantly begin to recover, we are just starting to realize the economic impact of this terrible tragedy. As we are all too well aware, people are losing their jobs and futures are at risk. I cannot imagine living through the tremendous stress of the past several weeks only to be told that I have now lost my job or I am being laid off because my company cannot afford to keep running at full speed. Unfortunately, the numbers of layoffs are increasing and the unemployment rate is trending upward. One of the industries hardest hit by the economic downturn is the airline industry. In the short span of just a few weeks, hundreds of thousands of workers at airlines, airports, aircraft manufacturers and at the companies that supply the airlines, have lost their jobs. Workers from commonly known companies like Boeing, Pratt and Whitney, American and United Airlines, to name but a few, are losing their jobs and being laid off, their futures are less than certain. The effects have been devastating. Hundreds of thousands of men and women who support the airline industry are losing their family's primary source of income and health insurance. But we can help.…”