Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Mourns the Death of 9/11 First Responder Luis Alvarez and Urges Passage of The September 11 Victim Compensation Fund

Statement

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Mourns the Death of 9/11 First Responder Luis Alvarez and Urges Passage of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund

Jackson Lee: "Americans are, from time to time, appropriately reminded of the horror of that day, the valor that shone through, and the lifelong ailments many have as a result of their heroism on that day. One such moment occurred last month when Luis, together with others who have been directly impacted by the horror of 9/11, appeared before Congress to testify in support of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. The next day, the legislation prolonging and strengthening the VCF passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously. It is currently awaiting a vote in the full House of Representatives. It is my hope that it will enjoy overwhelming support and swift passage by the Senate and is promptly signed into law. To honor the sacrifice of Luis and the lives of all who have served our country on that horrible day, I will not relent until the VCF is the law of the land and permanently and fully-funded."

Washington, DC -- Today, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget released this statement following the death of 9/11 first responder Luis Alvarez:

"September 11, 2001 will forever be remembered as a dark day in our nation's history. We all remember where we were when we learned of the horrific carnage which was unfolding in three discrete points in the United States: America's financial capital, New York; its political and military capital, Washington, D.C.; and, its heartland, Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Indeed, the sight of smoke plumes billowing from the Pentagon was visible from the United States Capitol, where my colleagues in the Congress and I were on that day, learning of the attack of America, and witnessing the horror for ourselves.

"We knew then that the tragedy would eventually require America to respond on a global stage. We also knew that at that very moment, our nation's bravest firefighters, police officers and first responders were there to help the countless Americans who sought assistance in those harrowing first moments after the attack. One of those brave Americans, Luis Alvarez, died on Saturday. He was 53.

"Luis Alvarez joined the New York Police Department in 1990, following service in the United States Marine Corps. He spent twenty years in NYPD, before his retirement in 2010. Thereafter he worked for the Department of Homeland Security. In the days and weeks after 9/11, Luis spent three months at the site of the fallen World Trade Center towers, searching for survivors and for the remains of people who perished, including the scores of members of the NYPD who died on that day. His experience in the days and weeks following the attack made an unfortunate, indelible mark on his life. The colorectal cancer that would plague him was linked to his work at Ground Zero, following the attacks. On Saturday, Luis died from complications from that ailment. He was 53.

"According to the World Trade Center Health Program--established by the 2010 James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama--72,000 are enrolled in a program that helps people with documented links to the disaster, including people with documented illnesses (including 8,000 who have been diagnosed with cancer), post-traumatic stress disorder, and other issues caused by the event and injuries therefrom. As of the end of 2018, it has been estimated that more individuals have died as a result of illnesses from that day than have

"That day is seared indelibly in our collective memory and despite the passage of time, Americans are, from time to time, appropriately reminded of the horror of that day, the valor that shone through, and the lifelong ailments many have as a result of their heroism on that day. One such moment occurred last month when Luis, together with others who have been directly impacted by the horror of 9/11, appeared before Congress to testify in support of permanently and fully-funding the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF"). The next day, the legislation prolonging and strengthening the VCF passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously. It is currently awaiting a vote in the full House of Representatives. It is my hope that it will enjoy overwhelming bipartisan support and swift passage in both houses of Congress and is promptly signed into law. To honor the sacrifice of Luis and the lives of all who have served our country on that horrible day, I will not relent until the VCF is the law of the land and permanently and fully-funded."

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