Mike Collins: “The attacks on 9/11, designed to murder as many innocent people as possible, were acts of war against the United States.…”

“The attacks on 9/11, designed to murder as many innocent people as possible, were acts of war against the United States. It resulted in the deaths of almost 3,000 people and left a smoldering pile of toxic debris in New York. But thousands of noble and courageous first responders scaled that smoldering pile and exhumed the dead with dignity. Today, the site includes the National September 11 Memorial. It is fitting that Congress do more than memorialize. We must also provide. The 9/11 first responders, like all first responders, deserve to have their sacrifices recognized through programs that reasonably limit their damage to their own selves and families and the sacrifice they entailed. This legislation would reauthorize the current September 11 Victim Compensation Fund, the medical program covering needed healthcare for those affected by the 9/11 incident, which has already been extended to the year 2090 in legislation enacted many years ago. This legislation before us today would extend a separate program to 2090, namely, the program designed to compensate the same victims for lost earnings and other losses they suffered as a result of the 9/11 attack. The compensation will, of course, cost money, recognizing that it is not mean-spirited in any way, but simply a necessity in a responsible budgeting process where limited Federal dollars and specific funds must be allocated in a formal budget composed of specific dollar amounts divided up by a program.…”