We must establish efficient programs to provide for their care and treatment, and fulfill this moral obligation to them all.

Thank you Senator Gillibrand, and all the co-sponsors of this bill for giving me the opportunity to submit a statement today and for the fight you have taken up on behalf of sick 9/11 Responders.

I commend her and our two colleagues from the House for their relentless efforts to address the needs of the heroes and the victims of that day.

I believe that the bill, Senate 1334, that Senator Gillibrand and others have introduced, provides the framework for that treatment.

My legislation would fulfill our moral obligation to the heroes who have sacrificed their lives for our country.

I hope this hearing will help us understand how all these pieces fit together, so we can make sure heroes get the help they need.

Thank you, Chairman Harkin, for holding this hearing. This is so important to the first responders, to the community survivors, and to everyone in New York and throughout the country.

S. 1334 helps the sick by improving medical monitoring and treatment to WTC responders and survivors who were exposed to Ground Zero toxins.

I want to thank Ranking Member Enzi for his hard work over these years, working with Secretary Clinton.

But, our work is not done. We're learning that the health effects of the 9/11 disaster are far more extensive and more wide-ranging than many people initially thought.

The horrific damage of 9/11 did not end when those buildings came down.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Our bill would authorize these programs into law and ensure that they have guaranteed funding.

We must make sure our commitment to this cause is for the long haul, and that the WIC 9/11 ZADROGA BILL is passed.

I express my gratitude to Senators Gillibrand and Schumer of my home State of New York.

I am very pleased to be here today to support S. 1334, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act of 2009.

The events of 9/11 caught everyone by surprise. Men and women from all over the area, rushed in to help those who had been impacted by the planes, the fires and the collapses.

I am proud to work with Senator Gillibrand to champion the health needs of World Trade Center responders and survivors.

To do this, it will build on the existing monitoring and treatment programs by delivering expert medical care for these unique exposures at Centers of Excellence.

They are now being punished by the toxins they were exposed to for their noble efforts.

It is our moral obligation.

The bill would help to preserve America's traditional leadership role in gas turbine innovation and bolster our exports to overseas markets.

The Natural Gas Supply Association asks that you support 5.2900, the Gas Turbine Efficiency Act of 2009, introduced late last year by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

The Gas Turbine Efficiency Act of 2009 highlights the importance of increasing dramatically the efficiency of both future natural gas fired gas turbine products and the existing gas turbine fleet.

I especially want to recognize Senator Collins's testimony on the heavy duty RD&D bill and Senator Carper for trying to help us expand the toolkit that we have available in the Federal Government to expand renewable energy and to reduce…

We believe the program would produce technologies that would dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of existing natural gas-fired electric generating units.