Vito Fossella: “As grass grows green again on Fresh Kills, teach us that life, not death, has triumphed. That was the Reverend Jack Ryan…”

“As grass grows green again on Fresh Kills, teach us that life, not death, has triumphed. That was the Reverend Jack Ryan who spent, it seemed like almost every day for the last 10 months, up at the landfill that has been mentioned by my colleagues, where more than 1,000 workers and volunteers really did the Lord's work, trying to help some families come to closure. As was mentioned, 54,000 personal items, such things as wedding rings or wallets, identifications, pictures, and the like were recovered and given to many of the families. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) mentioned that 188 of the victims were identified from the work at Fresh Kills. Over the past 10 months, I visited the landfill many times and witnessed for myself the work which has taken a physical and an emotional toll on the men and women there. But they never stopped pushing themselves. They never stopped, because they knew what they were doing was making a positive difference in the lives of people who suffered greatly. They brought peace of mind and a sense of healing to many, and a grateful Nation offers its thanks to these tireless and dedicated workers.”