Daniel S. Goldman

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote today due to a commitment in my Congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 221 and NAY on Roll Call No. 222.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote today due to a commitment in my Congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 208 and YEA on Roll Call No. 209.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for her support, as well as the chairman for moving this forward.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1993, the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Commemorative Coin Act, as we are fast approaching the 25th anniversary of the worst attack on American soil in our history, a day when we lost almost 3,000 of our loved ones, neighbors, and friends in a coordinated attack by terrorists who wanted to destroy the very values for which our country stands: liberty and justice for all.

We can never forget those we lost, and I will never forget that day myself, watching from my apartment building less than a mile away as the second plane hurled itself into the towers. Then, seeing people covered in soot walking uptown while our heroes, the NYPD, the New York Fire Department charged downtown into the building to try to save whomever they could.

Nor can we forget what came in the days and weeks that followed: countless heroes who rushed into the danger, who then spent months on a pile that turned out to be poisonous, searching for survivors.

These individuals are the very best of us, and their selflessness and courage embody the resilience of our city, what it means to be a New Yorker, and our country. We will never forget them.

Since 9/11, more people have died from 9/11-related health problems than even died that day. I was proud to have joined last year with my Republican colleagues from New York to ensure that we fully fund and indefinitely fund the World Trade Center Health Program, which now has well over 100,000 members from every State in the country.

As we approach this anniversary, I am proud to lead this bill to direct the Department of Treasury to issue coins to commemorate this dark day in American history and to ensure that the events of September 11, 2001, are forever enshrined in our collective memory.

Commemorative coins recognize some of the most important events and people in American history: the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlawed racial segregation, the brave African-American high school students at Little Rock Central High School after Brown v. Board of Education, the astronauts who took the first steps on the Moon. It is fitting that the victims and heroes of 9/11 will be honored in this same way.

Proceeds from the sale of this coin will go directly to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center to support its critical work educating future generations and remembering those we lost.

This legislation has received overwhelming bipartisan support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friends and fellow New Yorkers, Chairman Garbarino and Representative Mike Lawler, for their partnership and work on this bill. We have over 300 of our colleagues who have joined in this effort, and I am deeply grateful for their support as the Representative of 9/11 in Congress.

We must honor our promise to never forget, and I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this critical legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.