Lamar Smith: “This legislation represents an irresponsible overreach and does not contain the necessary protections to safeguard…”

“This legislation represents an irresponsible overreach and does not contain the necessary protections to safeguard taxpayer dollars from abuse, waste, and fraud. Ken Feinberg, the special master of the original 9/11 fund, has stated that if the fund is reenacted, it should be for a window of 5 years, not 21, and that it should be done with ``the understanding that there would be no changes in the rules and regulations governing the original fund, and that the new law would simply be a one-line reaffirmation of the original 9/11 fund.'' Unfortunately, the majority did not listen to Mr. Feinberg's sound advice. Instead, we are considering a bill that creates a fund with an unnecessary 21-year-long duration that contains special protections for trial attorneys, extends greatly the original fund's eligibility and criteria, and does not include the procedural protections necessary to safeguard the fund from abuse, waste, and fraud. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.”