Thomas Daschle: “I come to the floor to offer this amendment in part because I believe this provides perhaps the only vehicle we will…”

“I come to the floor to offer this amendment in part because I believe this provides perhaps the only vehicle we will have to consider legislation that I believe ought to have the opportunity to be considered before the end of this year. I offer the amendment on this bill in part because of the importance I think this legislation holds, not only for firefighters but for the country as a whole. When the planes crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, the shift had just changed at fire houses all across the country. In New York, firefighters who had just worked through the night could have gone home, but they didn't. Without a moment's hesitation, they rushed to what we now call Ground Zero to try to save lives. They climbed on the first pumper or ladder truck they saw. One group of firefighters even commandeered a city bus to get to the World Trade Center as quickly as they could.”