Cliff Stearns: “the President has issued a supplemental appropriation request for $87 billion to go towards our continuing efforts in…”

“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.”