Hillary Clinton

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, along with my colleague Senator Schumer, and Congressman Nadler in the House, I reaffirm the commitment of this Congress and this Nation to the rebuilding of New York. One hundred thirty-five days after the worst attacks in history on U.S. soil, I ask my colleagues to join me in a pledge to fulfill our promise to all Americans to make New York--our financial, our cultural, and media heart--whole again. The World Trade Center attacks claimed the lives of close to 3,000 of our fellow citizens, as well as those who had come from other countries to America seeking a better life. The emotional toll has been staggering. I have met with countless family members who lost mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives, daughters and sons. While there is nothing we can say or do that will bring these loved ones back to their families, the outpouring of compassion and kindness from all over the Nation has brought comfort to many. Along with this heartfelt sympathy, I believe we have an obligation to help not only those who lost their loved ones but also help those who lost their livelihoods rebuild their lives and reclaim their futures. New Yorkers were comforted when the President and leaders from the House and the Senate came to ground zero and stood in the House and Senate promising to make New York whole again. Their determination in the face of what seemed at the time great odds reinforced the workers who labored day after day, night after night, at ground zero. Despite the many obstacles, the recovery effort has moved forward faster than anyone could have predicted. Some months ago, I told my colleagues our best estimate was that with 24-hour-day shifts, we would perhaps have to take an entire year to clear the site to be ready to rebuild. I am very proud of the construction workers who have been working day in and day out, often at great personal sacrifice and risk, as well as the contractors who have worked with the city, to the end that we now believe this cleanup effort will be completed 4 months ahead of schedule and billions of dollars under budget. That does not in any way take away from the fact that the financial toll has been enormous. In fact, the terrorist attacks are estimated to cost New York City and its businesses over $100 billion in financial losses over the next 2 years. Lower Manhattan's business district has been decimated. Nearly 25 million square feet of office space, 20 percent of all of downtown New York's office space, was damaged or destroyed by the attacks, leaving 850 businesses and over 125,000 workers physically displaced. The effects of these attacks have also been staggering on New York's workforce. New York City's unemployment rate spiked to 7.4 percent in December, nearly a 3-year high, from 6.9 percent in November. The September 11 attacks ruined our small businesses, destroying and severely impacting nearly 15,000 of them. Businesses that were thriving on September 10, employing people, building a positive future for themselves, were destroyed, and they remain out of business 4\1/2\ months later. We are expected to lose nearly 150,000 jobs, and that is an unsustainable loss. The number of private sector jobs sank 3 percent last year, more than twice the national rate. We are struggling to make sure the aid that was voted for at the end of last year gets out as quickly as possible, and especially gets into the hands of these small businesses that are desperate for some kind of assistance. We also face a big job in cleaning up, repairing, and rebuilding the infrastructure. The attacks left 42 percent of Lower Manhattan's subway system unusable. That translates into significant disruptions in the daily commutes of 335,000 passengers who ride to Lower Manhattan every day. We are going to be getting some positive plans adopted soon, we hope, that will show what needs to be done to repair this infrastructure. I know this body will be there to help. I have been especially concerned about the air quality at and near ground zero. Many of our rescue workers, firefighters, police officers, construction workers, residents, and others have been complaining of respiratory problems. Some call them the World Trade Center cough or the 9-11 cough. It is a significant health problem. I have visited with physicians who are treating the firefighters and the construction workers. They are concerned because a lot of people are really encountering severe respiratory problems and developing asthma. We have many families and residents who still are afraid to move back into their homes, leaving large parts of Lower Manhattan uninhabited, leaving buildings that were once prime real estate nearly empty. I am pleased the Clean Air, Wetlands and Climate Change Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Works Committee has honored my request and will hold a hearing in New York City on these issues in a few weeks. We really do not know the effects of the exposure on those who have been most directly involved in the work at ground zero and others who are within the vicinity, but we owe it to them to find answers. We have to make sure we know what the health risks are for the children who are being asked to move back into the elementary schools that were vacated near ground zero. I am hopeful this hearing will get to the bottom of some of these issues. We also have to be sure our workforce is not forgotten. So many of them need some extra unemployment insurance. So many are about to lose their health insurance. I went to a hearing last week that was held with hundreds and hundreds of people. We had testimony from representatives of various groups, and the biggest concern among the workers who had worked in the World Trade Center or at a neighboring business was that their health insurance policies were about to run out and they did not know where to turn. We have been discussing what should be done on a recovery package for the Nation, but I know from firsthand experience we really must focus attention on New York's needs in terms of unemployment insurance, disaster unemployment assistance, and the extension of health care benefits in order to give some help to those people who, through no fault of their own, were left unemployed directly because of the attacks. Similarly, we have to continue to support both the public and the private sector in meeting the needs that come out of 9-11. I thank Chairman Baucus and ranking member Senator Grassley for their help to Senator Schumer and myself as we have tried to draft policies that will make a direct impact on the financial burdens being shouldered by the public and private sector. We need tax incentives. We need bonding authority. We need advanced refunding authority. All of that has been worked through the Finance Committee. A similar proposal has passed the House. I am hopeful we will be able to get something along those lines through the Congress and to the President very soon, either standing alone or as part of a larger economic recovery proposal. One issue that is now more pressing than when we left a month ago is the impact on States across the Nation of the economic slowdown and of 9-11. We are seeing increases in unemployment in many parts of the country. We see many people lose their health insurance. We expect to see millions more added to the Medicaid roles. It has been predicted that the number of children on Medicaid could increase as much as 11.3 percent. At a time when State budgets are already reeling from reduced revenues, when States--unlike the Federal Government--have to run a balanced budget, they cannot spend more than they take in. They may not have the resources needed to address these increasing health needs. That is why I hope, in a bipartisan manner, we can provide some relief to States. They are desperate for it. Whether Republican or Democratic Governor, we are hearing they need help. They need help not only to meet health needs but also law enforcement and homeland security needs. If we do not provide direct assistance to cities and counties, they are going to be running in the red, with the overtime they are now paying and with the additional responsibilities imposed on police, firefighters, and emergency workers. We have our work cut out for us. I am confident that under the leadership in this body and in the House and with the support of the administration we can meet the needs of New York and we can assure the people who were so directly devastated by these attacks that we stand with them. Earlier today I was privileged to be at the White House. It was a nostalgic return visit for me, sitting in the East Room, surrounded by my colleagues from New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, all of whom had gathered to witness the President signing the Victims Tax Relief Act, something I fought very hard for because it was a tangible way of providing assistance to those who were directly impacted with the loss of a loved one on 9-11. I am proud we included Oklahoma City victims and victims of the anthrax attacks because we need to demonstrate America is united not only in our war against terrorism but on behalf of the victims of terrorism. I was very proud when the President signed that bill, surrounded by so many of the families from New York and New Jersey with whom I have met, as well as other families from around the country who lost a loved one on one of the planes in the Pentagon attack or in the fields of Pennsylvania. It was a very reassuring moment to see how all levels of government were supporting those who woke up on September 11--on a beautiful autumn day for flying, for going to work, for minding one's own business--and ended a day having lost a relative, a friend, knowing their lives would never be the same. I strongly hope Congress will pass this resolution and reaffirm our commitment to New York by continuing to provide the much needed Federal assistance that New Yorkers require to recover from these horrific attacks that were, as we know so well, attacks on America. I appreciate this opportunity to take a few minutes to set the stage and remind everyone that, although we face future challenges with the continuing war on terrorism to make sure national security is as strong as we can make it, to ensure we are doing everything possible to enhance our homeland security and that we take necessary steps to assure economic security in the face of the economic downturn and the attacks on 9-11, that we also remain united behind the needs of New York. It is an honor to represent New York. It is often a challenge to convey the needs I see every day. I try to do my best to speak for those who will never stand in this Chamber but who are living every day with the consequences of those horrific attacks. It is such an honor to represent such brave and courageous Americans as I do in New York. I look forward to the continuing help I have received with such graciousness from my colleagues to make sure that New Yorkers know America stands with us. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, I rise today to introduce legislation to pay tribute to a great New Yorker, a beloved leader and noble public servant, Deputy Chief Ray Downey of the New York City Fire Department. The legislation I'm introducing today with my colleague, Senator Schumer, would name a post office in Deer Park, New York as the ``Raymond M. Downey Post Office Building.'' Firs, I want to express my deepest sympathies to his wife, Rosalie, and their five children for their terrible loss. A hero among heroes, Ray Downey was one of the most decorated members of the Fire Department, awarded five medals for valor and 16 unit citations. His esteemed career spanned nearly 40 years with the New York Fire Department, including service with both ladder and engine companies, as well as rescue squads. A former Marine, Downey joined the New York fire department in 1962, first serving in Brooklyn. From the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Chief Downey helped lead the department with his skill and courage. He was considered a leading expert on rescues involving collapsed buildings. For nearly 15 years, he commanded Rescue Company 2 and in August, because of his leadership and skill, he was promoted to Special Operations Command, which dealt with hazardous materials and rescue work. The reach of his work extended beyond New York City. He was a leader of the Urban Search and Rescue Team, which assisted in the Walton Floods response in Upstate New York, as well as the ``ice storm'' that hit Upstate in 2000 and Hurricane Georges and the Dominican Republic. Due to his incredible knowledge of how buildings fall down, he has been described as having ``rock star'' status among firefighters across the country. Congressman Israel, who introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives, summed it up well, saying, ``He is a national treasure.'' I could not agree more. Chief Downey was also a member of a national advisory commission on domestic response to terrorism. Nearly five years ago, he warned that our next war would be fought in an urban area, and, unfortunately, he was right. Early on September 11, at age 63, just like he did a thousand times before, Ray Downey responded to the call for duty. In spite of his age, he joined the heroic and unforgettable effort to save lives in World Trade Center towers. The unmistakable courage and the incalculable sacrifices that he and all the public safety officers who responded that day made for the good of their communities and their country are the kinds of virtues and values that make them real-life heroes. It has been reported that after September 11, Ray Downey's wife Rosalie, found a manila folder in his brief case filled with letters and praise from his lifetime of service. This modest man, who never boasted of his incredible rescues, had immense pride in his work, and rightly so. He quietly chronicled his service to the city and the manila folder grew thicker. His life of service will also live on in the hearts and minds of all those whose lives he touched through his bravery and leadership. We will never forget Ray Downey's extraordinary career and I ask you to join us today in supporting this legislation, which will create a lasting tribute to this legendary figure. Ray Downey leaves behind a grateful city, in awe of all he achieved on its behalf.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to express my deepest gratitude to and admiration for the citizens of Williamson in Mingo County, West Virginia for their generosity and sacrifice on behalf of others. Their donation of approximately $26,000 to the ``Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund,'' to aid the children of those lost in the terrorist attacks on our country over three months ago, is symbolic of the tremendous compassion and unity of the American people. I would like to thank the citizens of Williamson on behalf of all the families who will be able to take advantage of this scholarship fund. They have reached deep into their hearts and pockets to send the children affected by the September 11 attacks a truly beautiful gift. Earlier this month, I met with Williamson Mayor Estil ``Breezy'' Bevins, Fire Chief Grover ``Curt'' Philips and Police Chief Roby Pope when they presented $26,000 in donations in Senator Byrd's office. Shortly after September 11, the City Council voted to donate $5,000 to the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Over $15,000 was collected on September 14 through a ``boot drive'' where police officers, firefighters and others took to the streets to stop cars to collect money. As I told Mayor Bevins, Williamson's trememdous efforts and energy symbolize the spirit of ``small-Town America.'' I suggested that the town consider sending their donations to the ``Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund,'' which former President Clinton and former Majority Leader Bob Dole chair together. The Fund provides educational assistance for the children and spouses of those killed or permanently disabled in the terrorist attacks of September 11. I would like to thank my friend and colleague Senator Rockefeller for contacting my office to seek guidance on directing the donations. I am very grateful to Senators Byrd and Rockefeller for joining me in receiving the people of Williamson's donation earlier this month. This small town in southern West Virginia, thousands of miles away from the Twin Towers, has experienced its own share of adversity, including a devastating flood in 1977. Perhaps Williamson's struggle to overcome its own set of hurdles has made the citizens there especially sympathetic to the tremendous obstacles that the people of New York City are facing. At the same time as Williamson has reached out to those affected by the terrorist attacks in New York City, they are working to tackle financial difficulties in their own backyard and I applaud their efforts. An aggressive economic development effort is underway to secure a wood products park, most aquaculture and a stronger market for coal. Many Americans have felt a personal need in their everyday lives to reach out to their neighbors, coworkers or even strangers to offer assistance, both large and small. We saw it in New York with people standing in line for hours to donate blood, and with families donating food to rescue workers who were toiling around the clock, or companies who wanted to contribute funding and resources. ``What can I do to help?'' is a common, if not universal refrain that Americans have spoken, or thought quietly to themselves, since the attacks. The people of Williamson have matched those noble words with action, and New Yorkers thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their outpouring of compassion. Winston Churchill once said, ``We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.'' During this time of tremendous grief and anxiety that's being felt in all corners of the world, the citizens' of Williamson efforts to ensure that children who have been affected by these terrible attacks are not forgotten will provide comfort to many and inspiration for us all.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I ask that the following statement, and the excerpt from the Mead Centennial press release, be printed in the Record in honor of Margaret Mead's 100th birthday: On December 16, Margaret Mead would have celebrated her 100th birthday. As one of New York's Senators, I am proud that Margaret Mead called New York home for so many years. New York State has such a rich history of women who have made a difference at home and throughout the world. As my colleague Senator Chuck Hagel stated so well, Margaret Mead ``was an American patriot who dedicated her life to understanding the people and nations of our world. She respected the distinctiveness of various cultures . . . Margaret Mead took her responsibilities of citizenship seriously by sharing her knowledge with those engaged in public service.'' On the occasion of the Margaret Mead centennial, I hope that more of today's youth will be exposed to the lifework of this great woman, and will be inspired to learn about cultures around the world. She devoted her life to studying other cultures, and to encouraging Americans to develop a desire to learn about other cultures. The following excerpt from a Mead Centennial 2001 press release captures Margaret Mead's accomplishments, and their relevance to our country today:

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I thank our chairman for his extraordinary work. I also appreciate the leadership of our ranking member and indeed the entire committee that has worked so hard for nearly a year and has finished the work in a conference that has resulted in a bill which will in many respects increase the opportunities that our students will have for achieving the kind of educational levels for which every child deserves to strive. We know this bill is far from perfect. However, we do know we have made a step forward. I appreciate greatly the targeting of title I funding, particularly for the highest need school districts in the State of New York. We will receive a 25-percent increase in title I funds and a 40-percent increase in teacher quality funds. For our neediest communities, that means a dramatic improvement in the resources available to focus their attention on those children for whom this bill is intended. I share the disappointment of many of my colleagues that we were not able to bring about the full funding of special education. That is the No. 1 issue in New York that I hear about, whether I am in an urban, rural, or suburban district. I pledge to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner and to work with the administration so that next year when we reauthorize IDEA, we also fully fund it and make good on a promise that we gave to the American people more than 25 years ago. I also appreciate the kind words of the chairman about teacher and principal recruitment, which was one of my highest priorities. If we do not attract and keep quality teachers in our classroom, everything that is in this bill will not amount to very much. We have to be sure we get the teachers and principals we need. I am glad we have taken this step forward. I hope my colleagues will continue to support education for every child.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I thank the senior Senator from Hawaii. I want to discuss the emerging field of Bioinformatics. Bionformatics has become one of our most important emerging technologies. Bioinformatics is the use of high-powered computing techniques to analyze the data generated by the Human Genome Project. Massive computing power is needed in order to interpret this vast amount of data. The University at Buffalo is seeking to establish a Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics. The University at Buffalo is home to the Center for Computational Research, one of the top ten supercomputing sites in the nation. The University at Buffalo would forge an academic and industrial partnership with renowned academic, medical, and research institutions, including Binghamton University. Will the Senator agree that Buffalo's blend of leading academic, research, industrial, and medical institutions make Buffalo an ideal location for a Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics?

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I wish to engage my colleague, the distinguished chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, in a colloquy.

Mrs. CLINTON. I thank my colleague. I am aware that funds are made available in both the House version of the Defense appropriations fiscal year 2002 bill and the bill the Senator has proposed. I ask that the Senator from Hawaii support as much funding for bioinformatics programs as possible, within the fiscal constraints we face, as the Defense spending bill completes conference.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I ask for unanimous consent that the following statement, which I was honored to deliver at the funeral mass for Father Mychal F. Judge in New York City on September 15, be printed in the Record.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. I thank the Senator for his extraordinary efforts and his very fine work on this amendment, which will strengthen our national defense at home as well as abroad.

Mrs. CLINTON. This Senator knows very well that the Senator from West Virginia has a grasp, an understanding of what happened, not only with respect to the attacks but also the anthrax which came to New York to our Postal Service and to our media offices as well.

Mrs. CLINTON. As a result, because of the estimates of $100 billion of damage, so clearly shown here in the difference of what this part of our country looked like on the morning of September 11 before the terrorists wreaked their evil on our country and what it looked like afterwards, we know very well it is going to be a long struggle for us to recover. The fires are still burning. We need to get contracts let. We need to repair the destruction that has been done to our streets, our highways, our infrastructure. We need to help our hospitals that were so prepared; they literally did all they could in spite of the damage they suffered. They lost their generators. They lost their billing systems. Their computers went out. But they stayed on duty. They didn't ask anyone who was brought in injured, a rescue worker who was injured on the job: Where is your insurance? You can't come in this door today because we don't know if you can pay. Everyone was brought in and given care. What I have learned from that and what I commend the Senator for understanding is that New York City was probably better prepared than any other city in the country because of the work that had been done. Of course, the heroic efforts of our police and especially our firefighters and our emergency workers showed that preparation. What the Senator is trying to do, as I understand it, is not only to help us with the extraordinary needs we face to get us on the path of being able to use these dollars in the way they should be used-- accountably--but to get the money in the pipeline as opposed to waiting until next year. Mr. President, the Senator from West Virginia is also telling us we have to be prepared in case this happens anywhere else in the country; is he not?

Mrs. CLINTON. Isn't it correct that it is likely to be late spring at the earliest before any additional money would flow to New York?

Mrs. CLINTON. The Senator has heard those cries for help and has, along with the committee, responded in our time of need, for which all of New York is grateful. It goes beyond that. As we look at these pictures, as we are reminded of the devastation and destruction, we know it is going to take a long time to recover. We know that what the Senator has very thoughtfully provided in this appropriations bill will put us on the path toward recovery, will put money into the pipeline. As the Senator knows better than anyone, it will be quite sometime into next year before another appropriation can possibly be obtained.

Mrs. CLINTON. I thank the Senator from West Virginia for the careful attention he has given to the threats we are confronted with today. I thank the two distinguished ranking members who are in the Chamber, the Senator from Hawaii and the Senator from Alaska, for coming to New York City to go to ground zero to see what happens when our country is attacked the way we have been. I inquire of the Senator regarding the work he has done with respect to preparing this extremely important amendment that understands our defense needs are both with our men and women in uniform, and we are all supportive of the President and our military leadership and very proud of the extraordinary work being done to root out the terrorist network, but we also have credible threats here at home. In fact, just as a reminder, this is what war looks like when it is brought home to our own shores. These are pictures, as the Senator from West Virginia knows so well, of the attack New York City suffered on September 11, pictures of the devastation that occurred, pictures of the men and women who are on the frontline of defense--the firefighters, the police officers, the emergency responders--who, just as our men and women in uniform, our special forces, as well as our Marines, our Navy, our Air Force, our Army forces across our country and the world, are on the front lines of defending us at home. Here is what our defenders look like in the streets of New York. They could be in the streets of any of our cities. May I inquire if the Senator, in constructing this very thoughtful amendment that takes into account our defense needs at home, took into account, as I know he did, the extraordinary devastation and damage the city of New York has suffered because the attack on New York was an attack on America?

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, the Senator from West Virginia is aware of the recent rather sobering comment that our Vice President made with respect to this war, that we are fighting on two fronts, that we are likely to suffer more casualties on our homeland front than we will across the seas?

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, will the Senator from West Virginia yield for an inquiry?

Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, on behalf of not just New York--let's not look at it abstractly as just the big State and the big city that we are. I want everyone to picture the faces of those firefighters, police officers, and emergency workers, and then I want everyone to think about the widows and the orphans. Our country was invaded, and under the Constitution, we owe, as a nation, the protection and certainly the support of this body for which we are fighting tonight. I hope that what is an emergency will be voted as such this evening. Thank you, Madam President.

Mrs. CLINTON. I ask unanimous consent for 1 more minute.

Mrs. CLINTON. Madam President, I rise to once again remind us what an emergency looks like. I have, over the past 25 years, visited the sites of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, the Oklahoma City bombing. I have never seen anything in my life like what I saw in New York City on September 11. The television and the pictures didn't do it justice. I had to see it with my own eyes on September 12. I rise to join my colleague who has, with me and so many others, been working to recover from this, this picture of devastation and destruction. I remind my colleagues of those early pictures of the firefighters, the police officers, and the emergency response teams coming out of the dust, the black soot that covered them from head to toe. There were a lot of very kind words spoken, a lot of applause and cheers for our soldiers on the front line at home who ran toward danger and saved countless lives. It is hard to imagine that we are having this debate. It is especially hard when we look back, as I did, at how this body responded to the emergencies that were not man-made but naturally occurring, and what happened in Oklahoma City. We know we are going to have a long struggle ahead to recover and rebuild. New York is taking on that obligation and challenge. But we also know we cannot do it without America's help. This is America represented in this Chamber tonight. When New York City was attacked, America was attacked. I cannot imagine us ever turning our faces away from this. In fact, we did not. We immediately moved to appropriate money to be spent for New York. Right now, we are fighting for the emergency designation that will put that money in the pipeline, that will make it available. Why is that important? It is important because in every disaster-- there are some former Governors in this body, and I have spoken to a few of them tonight--when States were flooded, when the hurricanes came, when the tornadoes came, they wanted that money as soon as possible to begin to put it to work, to start letting the contracts, to start paying back the overtime so they did not have to run in the red, as we are having to do throughout New York. I went back and looked at how fast money got out in other emergencies compared to the amount of money that was eventually delivered. In the Midwest floods, within 3 to 4 months more than 40 percent of the dollars from the Federal Government had been appropriated. With the Northridge earthquake, more than 30 percent of the dollars had been appropriated within 26 days. Ninety-nine days after the Oklahoma City bombing, more than 40 percent of the money that went to help the people of Oklahoma had been appropriated. Eighty-five days after the attacks, we are fighting over whether or not what happened in New York on September 11 was an emergency. I remember what people said in the immediate aftermath. We were given enormous support. ``We will rebuild New York City,'' said President Bush on September 21. ``We will come back to New York again to see this town rise from the ashes that we saw today,'' Speaker Hastert. ``We are here to commit to the people of New York City and New York, regardless of the region of the country that we come from--and the entire country is represented by this delegation--that we will stand with you.'' Senator Lott.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I appreciate the opportunity and thank the distinguished ranking member on the Agriculture Committee for the chance to come to the floor and speak about a matter of great concern and urgency to my State. I also commend the Senator from Indiana and the chairman of the Agriculture Committee for their very hard and diligent work on the bill we are considering. I turn our attention, as I have on numerous occasions over the past weeks, to the situation in the State of New York following the attacks on September 11 and the extraordinary damage inflicted on the infrastructure, on the economy, and most especially on the lives of New Yorkers. I commend Senator Byrd and the Appropriations Committee for the extraordinary job they have done in marking up the fiscal year 2002 Defense appropriations bill which addresses not only the pressing national security and defense needs of our Nation but also marks a significant step forward in addressing our homeland defense needs, as well as the specific needs related to the cleanup, rebuilding, and revitalization of the city of New York. Just days after the horrific attack on September 11, just over 12 weeks ago, President Bush told a joint session of Congress: We will rebuild New York City. The President's Budget Director weeks later said: The President's pledge of $20 billion is an absolute guarantee, and it is likely to be more. We have collected quotations from other leaders. It is very gratifying to me that Senator Byrd and the Appropriations Committee have moved forward to fulfill the promises and commitments made to the people of New York. I personally thank and commend Senator Byrd for balancing the needs of our country with the need to be prepared in the face of terrorism, to rebuild the financial capital of the world, New York City, and to be fiscally responsible--understanding if we don't get our economy going, if we don't proceed, it will cost more later. I also thank the Appropriations Committee staff, especially Terry Sauvain and Chuck Kieffer and Paul Carliner on Senator Mikulski's staff who have given my staff and myself so much assistance in the weeks since September 11. The bill reported out of committee is just the first step. As we go to the floor, which could be as early as tomorrow, I hope my colleagues understand and appreciate we are fighting a war on two fronts. We have to fully fund the important defense needs of our Nation, and we have to fully fund, beginning with the Appropriations recommendations, the homeland security needs and New York City's needs. I will speak today particularly about the health care needs of New Yorkers and Americans in the aftermath of this disaster. The essential services that hospitals and health care workers provided throughout the World Trade Center disaster demonstrate how much we depend upon our health care system all the time, but particularly in a time of need. New York's hospitals and hospital workers pitched in heroically during the emergency, not only on the day of September 11 but on the days and weeks following. They worked around the clock. They operated on backup power systems, without phones and other utilities. Health care workers jeopardized their own lives to be at their stations. Hospital personnel provided supportive services to community members and hospitals that were right there at ground zero. St. Vincent's and NYU Downtown not only cared for the injured but provided meals for rescue workers, took meals to elderly residents who were trapped in their apartments. They served as the backbone of the care and support system we relied on during this crisis while suffering their own structural damage. NYU, for example, lost its data center, and therefore its billing capacity. In effect, that was a fitting metaphor for how these hospitals operated: According to their mission, not their bottom line. They did not begrudge the costs of clearing hospital beds. They did not count the costs of bringing staff in on highest alert on overtime pay. They did not stand at the door of the emergency room asking to see people's insurance cards and sending them to a line to get their applications filled out. They incurred security expenses. They depleted stockpiles of emergency supplies, pharmaceuticals, and blood. They provided disaster counseling services as well as emergency food, housing, and transportation. They also incurred expenses on emergency telecommunications and backup generators. When they ran out, they had to purchase and rent equipment. They had to set up an emergency morgue. They incurred so many extraordinary costs, and it is in part to alleviate some of those costs that we have a special provision in the appropriations for hospital costs that were incurred during this disaster. But the disaster has had a devastating impact, not only on providers but on health coverage as well. One of the most unfortunate consequences of the disaster, combined with the economic downturn, has been the impact on workers. Many workers in New York City saw their jobs just vanish in the rubble of the collapsed towers. Thousands more throughout the city and State lost their jobs because of the aftershocks of the disaster. Then it spread out around our country. The unemployment rate nationally has gone up half of 1 percent-- faster in 1 month than at any point in the last 20 years. In New York City, of course, the problem is exacerbated. In the span of 1 month, unemployment rose 1.3 percent, more than twice the national rate. This is a picture of a recent job fair. Here you see people scrambling for their livelihoods, for their families' economic survival, but with limited opportunities in a recessionary economy. The headline from the San Antonio Express News, October 18: New York job fair sends thousands away; Arena isn't big enough for crowd. The New York Department of Labor has estimated that 250,000 New Yorkers will be out of work by year's end. Based on what we know about the rates of health insurance among the jobless, the majority will lose their health insurance. While some may be able to rely on Medicaid, estimates show that 100,000 of these displaced workers will end up uninsured. This is true across the country. We know that more than two out of five Americans who lose their jobs lose health care as well. That inflicts a double blow. It is my hope that in the coming days we can address some of these pressing economic and health care needs, not only for New Yorkers but for all Americans, first through supplemental appropriations, then through the stimulus package. The proposed Senate economic stimulus package reported to the Senate floor would provide additional help for displaced workers who are eligible for COBRA continuation but cannot afford to use up over half of their unemployment check each month just for health insurance. The proposal would cover 75 percent of the cost of COBRA, making it affordable for far more unemployed families. This would mean we would see that approximately 457,000 temporary unemployed workers and their families would be covered. Currently the COBRA premiums, which average over $7,700 for families in New York, are unaffordable without some additional help. But we also know that many workers in small businesses are not COBRA eligible. In New York, 25 percent of workers are employed by small businesses not covered by COBRA. The stimulus proposal addresses that gap by offering health coverage through a temporary State Medicaid option with an enhanced match to encourage States to provide the coverage. We will see not only an effect on individuals and their families but also on State budgets. States expect to see an additional 4 million individuals added to their Medicaid rolls. The number of children on Medicaid could rise as much as 11.3 percent. Here you see on this chart the steady growth in Medicaid enrollments as unemployment rates grow. At a time when States are already reeling from reduced revenues, many of our States will not have the resources to meet this increased need. We already have heard troubling stories from our States. Tennessee is proposing to eliminate coverage for 180,000 Medicaid beneficiaries. Washington is considering cuts of 10 percent to 15 percent. California is talking about budget cuts of up to $1 billion in Medicaid. Florida may eliminate coverage of adults with catastrophic health care costs. And Indiana has appropriated $140 million less than is projected will be needed for Medicaid in that State alone. So just when we have unemployment going up, revenues going down, many more people being thrown into the ranks of the unemployed, unable to keep their insurance, when we have 2.6 million more children having to rely on this safety net program, the States are in an impossible position, and it is a vicious circle because if they cannot provide at least some Medicaid funding, many hospitals will be forced to provide services the best they can, increasing their costs which will not be reimbursed. And we are into that vicious cycle where uncompensated costs create downward pressures on institutions such as hospitals that have to cut services even for the insured and have to turn away the uninsured. Many States are going to be in that difficult position. I hope we are going to provide at least some temporary support through increased matching funds to help Governors be able to deal with the increasing health care costs. I know in the State of New York we came up with a quite creative approach by creating something called the Disaster Relief Medicaid Program. It cut through all the bureaucratic redtape, cut the application process which many of us have been complaining about for years--cut it down to one page, allowed many needy people to skip over all those bureaucratic hurdles to be able to be eligible for Medicaid. It has been a lifesaver for a lot of our New York families. We will not be able to continue that without some additional help. I think, actually, this program is a very good model we ought to look at in the future when we try to think of some permanent ways to provide more Medicaid assistance. But certainly this streamlined post-crisis process really did a tremendous job filling a breach that would have otherwise caused a tremendous amount of backlog and uninsured people not being given the health care they deserve to have. Yesterday, Congressman Peter King from New York, along with some House colleagues, introduced legislation on the House side to hold States harmless if they were slated for what is called an FMAP decrease--in other words, the match they get from the Federal Government--and provide an additional two point increase to all States, with an additional 2.5 percent available to States with unemployment rates higher than the average across States nationwide. I think this is a good short-term solution. It is also a good stimulus, if you can get money into the hands of people who need to spend it, as people who have health care needs have to spend it. But it is the right thing to do as well. I urge my colleagues to support the kind of cobbled together approach that would give COBRA premium subsidies, would provide an increase in the FMAP, at least temporarily, to help out our States that are facing such revenue shortfalls, provide a Medicaid option for non-COBRA- eligible workers which will be not only important for our States and for our economy and our health care system but absolutely essential to so many of the workers who, since September 11, have been not only out of work but out of health insurance as well. I thank my colleague, the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, for his indulgence, in being able to address this critical issue that will come before us sometime in the next few days. I appreciate greatly the attention that can be paid to making sure we provide the kind of health care support that is needed at this time. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today, as I did several times last week and before, to remind all of us, and especially my colleagues, of the destruction and devastation that took place on September 11, and persists today, nearly 12 weeks after. Tomorrow will be the 12th week since we were attacked on September 11. The New York City Partnership and Comptroller estimate that the economic impact of the attack will near $100 billion in damage for New York's economy. Today, 83 days after the attacks on our Nation, thousands of the businesses and residents who were physically displaced by the destruction, by the loss of power and telephone access, by the debris removal efforts, by the poor air quality, by the crime scene designation, are still awaiting some help, any help from the Federal Government. Our Constitution guarantees to protect every State against invasion. The President said in his joint address to Congress just 10 days after the attacks: We will rebuild New York City. That same day earlier, my colleague, Senator Lott said, while visiting New York: We are here to commit to the people of New York City . . . that we will stand with you. Congressman Gephardt, the House minority leader, said in his weekly radio address: We will work to make the broken places right again. We will rebuild New York. Eighty-three days since the terrorists chose to attack America by attacking New York and having lost thousands and thousands of innocent lives, we are still taking stock of the damage that we, as a city, a State, and a country have suffered. We know we can't get those innocent lives back, and every day I and my staff work with the families who lost their loved ones trying to make sure that they do get the help they need. In addition to the lives that were so brutally taken, those attacks also took many livelihoods. We can do something about that. Yes, we did lose 15 to 20 million square feet of office space; nearly one-third of all space in Lower Manhattan, either completely destroyed or seriously damaged. Yes, we did have extensive damage to our transportation system, and it has been devastating for thousands of people trying to get to work not to have those subway lines, not to have that PATH train coming in right under the river, underneath the World Trade Center. We know the kind of damage that our small business owners have been suffering has been devastating. What has happened is the attacks, because of the loss of transportation and because of the crime scene designation, have displaced over half a million commuters who travel to Lower Manhattan. We have 10 subway stations that usually handle about 40 percent of the downtown commuters that have been closed throughout most of October. That is why we recognize we can't possibly do this without the help of America. Estimates to rebuild the 1,700 feet of collapsed tunnel on the 1 and 9 subway lines directly beneath the World Trade Center are in the billions of dollars. The same is true of the estimates to rebuild the PATH train station that brings commuters from New Jersey into Lower Manhattan. We also have been told it will take up to $250 million to repair the damaged streets around the World Trade Center. And still, as we speak, almost one-third of Lower Manhattan permits only restricted vehicular access because of the crime scene designation. These are cost estimates only of direct impact and damage, not future losses, not lost revenues. These are the costs for hazardous material removal, for site remediation, for capital costs for rebuilding. New York City, it is estimated, is likely to lose 125,000 jobs in this fourth quarter. We already lost 79,000 jobs in October alone. These are staggering numbers, but they only tell half the story because I could literally fill this Chamber with people who have seen their businesses devastated, who have lost their jobs. The quotes we see from so many of our leaders have been comforting and very supportive, but we know that we need more than comfort. We need more than rhetoric. We need tangible support. It is imperative that we get as much of that support as possible. I personally think it is very similar to the other devastating crises that have hit our country. Most of them were natural disasters, but we also can't forget Oklahoma City. We can't forget the New Mexico fires. If you look at past disasters, the Federal Government, through our Congress, responded appropriately and swiftly. The Congress came together in a time of need, whether it was Hurricane Hugo or the Northridge earthquakes or Oklahoma City. This chart illustrates the level of Federal response after just a few of a sample of major disasters. In each case, the Federal response was nearly 40 percent of the estimated economic loss. In New York City, a comparable amount would be 40 percent of the approximate $100 billion of economic damage. Yet we haven't received, in as timely a manner, the percentage share that others have. The appropriated assistance that came within 3 to 4 months after the Midwest floods was more than 40 percent. After the Northridge earthquake, 26 days after, more than 30 percent of the total loss had already been appropriated; after the Oklahoma City bombing, within 99 days, more than 40 percent. What do we have? We have a few billion dollars that have been sent to FEMA to help pay for the costs that have been incurred, and that is it. We don't have a special appropriation that has been passed. We don't have an emergency supplemental. We are counting on getting that in the next few days because we want to be sure that New York gets the money appropriated that we need to have to count on to get about the business of rebuilding and restoring. And 79 days later, when this chart was made--now we are at 83 days--we were below 5 percent, far below the pace of what was done for other major disasters in our country. If you look at the headlines from other major disasters, ``One Month After Hurricane Andrew''--which I visited in 1992, the site of that devastation, ``Bush,'' the first President Bush, ``approves $11.1 billion in Hurricane Aid.'' It didn't take long at all to get that money flowing. Compare where we are with the damage done to New York. After the 1993 Midwest floods, 7 months after, ``Families Pour Out Praise For Flood Agencies.'' They not only got the money appropriated, they got the money delivered. And people were satisfied their needs were being met. The Northridge earthquake, 24 days after that devastating earthquake, ``$8.6 billion Quake Aid Ok'd by Senate.'' We are nowhere near that pace. We are at 83 days, and although we did--and I am grateful for it--appropriate dollars in the immediate aftermath, we haven't gone back to appropriate them to actually get them out and be spent to take care of the problems we have. The Cerro Grande fire, which was a fire set by the Federal Government, a fire that was meant to stop other fires--of course, we know the results were disastrous--44 days after that fire, ``Los Alamos Welcomes Federal Aid.'' I was pleased, both as a citizen and as an onlooker with a great deal of interest over 8 years, to see how well our country came together to deal with our emergencies. Compare those headlines with where we are right now in New York: ``New York Needs Help Now to Rise from the Ashes,'' November 19; ``New York Financial Core Wobbles from Attacks' Economic Hit,'' November 26; since September 11, ``Vacant Offices and Lost Vigor,'' November 21; ``Terror Attacks Have Left Chinatown's Economy Battered,'' November 25; ``A Nation Challenged: Small Shops Feel Lost in Aid Effort.''

Mrs. CLINTON

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I am aware that the other side has until 4:45. I ask unanimous consent to speak as though we had reached 4:45, which starts the time running for our side.