Washington, DC--The following is a statement from Congressman Eliot Engel on the nine-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

“One more year has passed, and the memories of September 11, 2001 are still as fresh as ever, but the wounds are still deep.  On a personal level, whenever I fly home to New York from Washington, I still expect to see the Twin Towers standing tall in the skyline.  The sadness for me, for all of New York, and Americans far and wide will probably never go away.

“September 11, 2001 displayed the worst of mankind as well as the best. There were incredibly touching displays of brotherhood and humanitarianism, as witnessed by the thousands of first responders and volunteers who stayed for months searching for survivors and victims.

“Sadly, many of them continue to be victims of 9-11 as a result of diseases contracted from exposure to the fumes and debris from the pile. That is why I have repeatedly called for the passage of the 9-11 Health and Compensation Act (H.R. 847). The exposure to toxins, at the site, has left a significant number with severe health issues – including unnaturally high rates of asthma, lung disease, depression and other ailments. The 9-11 Health and Compensation Act would provide medical monitoring and treatment to victims exposed at Ground Zero.

“I call on my colleagues in Congress to set aside partisan politics and overheated rhetoric and come together to pass this legislation this month.  The bravery and selflessness of those volunteers should no longer be held captive to Beltway bickering.

“A great deal has happened in America and throughout the world in the last nine years, but for me, and most New Yorkers, we mark this day in memory of those lost and those who rushed to help.  Let us all pledge to never forget this unspeakable tragedy.”

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