Statement of
Senator Jim Jeffords
Hearing on the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
We are here this morning to discuss the emergency response to the
horrible events of September 11, to learn from these experiences and
to offer the help of the Committee on Environment and Public Works
in preparing for future relief
efforts.
I visited both the Pentagon and the World Trade Center shortly
after the unfortunate and tragic events of September 11th, another day
that sadly will live in infamy. The devastation I witnessed was incredible
and difficult to put into words.
Thousands of people lost their lives due to the cruel and the cunning
acts of evil perpetrated by a few. The
victims of these attacks were men, women and children --people with well-laid
plans for pleasant and prosperous futures.
At these two disaster sites, I also saw the incredible courage and
the dedication of firefighters, urban
search and rescuers, and other emergency personnel responding to the disaster.
People from Vermont, Ohio, Virginia and California, and many points in
between. I witnessed the tireless
efforts of the men and women of FEMA, working hard to coordinate the relief
effort.
Although I left both the Pentagon and the World Trade Center with
a heavy heart, I also left with a
profound sense of gratitude for the
gallant efforts of countless rescuers and volunteers who tirelessly and mostly anonymously worked in places reserved
only for "Ground Zero
Heroes".
In the month following the attack I have spoken to many people, Vermonters
and others, about the attack. They have
all expressed profound sadness for
our Nation's great loss, but they have also imbued me with the feeling that
freedom will prevail. That good
will triumph over evil. That these horrible attacks cannot break our
resolve to stand together as free Americans.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "Freedom is the last, best hope of
Earth." Terrorists may have
destroyed these buildings, but they cannot destroy the hope freedom provides.
Today we assemble to commend the efforts of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency in
responding to this disaster. We
assemble to commend the work of
emergency responders who gave so much of
themselves in serving others.
And we assemble to hear what remains to be done in the aftermath of these sad events. To this end, the Committee is also considering several legislative proposals to
help FEMA better respond to this
disaster and any future incidents.
Additionally, in the last few weeks this committee has received
security-related briefings from all of the federal agencies we oversee, including the Army Corps of
Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, the Department of
Transportation, the General Services Administration and others.
The most important message I have taken from these meetings is
that the federal government is working
around the clock to protect our
nation. These briefings have
also resulted in the request for additional authority from Congress.
I want to put my members on notice that in the coming weeks the Environment
and Public Works Committee will be putting together a legislative package to deal with the security needs of the
nation.
This package will include the proposals put forth by the agencies
we oversee on this Committee and the
recommendations given to me by the
members of this Committee.
Finally, I'd like to address Mr. Allbaugh and many of those
who responded directly to the
Pentagon and World Trade Center attacks.
I cannot possibly understand
how difficult it must have been to have personally toiled amidst the
devastation and trauma.
As a nation, we need to heal. Our thoughts go first to the victims
and the families of the attacks. But we must not forget that first responders are human.
Firefighters, search and rescue personnel, and other members of
the emergency response community faced extreme stress from these traumatic
events. Coping with the
intense feelings and shock will take time.
I hope all the emergency response personnel will take this time
and look for support when needed. I want you to know how proud all of us are
for the work you have done. I look forward to hearing the testimony of the
witnesses.