File #: Res 0566-2004    Version: * Name: Denouncing Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations
On agenda: 9/9/2004
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution denouncing Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, for his recent criticism of New York’s efforts to secure funding for the rebuilding of New York City after the 9-11 attacks on the United States at New York’s World Trade Center and calling upon the Congress of the United States to provide continued funding and support for New York in its efforts to recover from the devastating attacks of September 11.
Sponsors: Michael C. Nelson, Yvette D. Clarke, Vincent J. Gentile, John C. Liu, Larry B. Seabrook, James Sanders, Jr.
Council Member Sponsors: 6

Res. No. 566

 

Resolution denouncing Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, for his recent criticism of New York’s efforts to secure funding for the rebuilding of New York City after the 9-11 attacks on the United States at New York’s World Trade Center and calling upon the Congress of the United States to provide continued funding and support for New York in its efforts to recover from the devastating attacks of September 11.

 

By Council Members Nelson, Clarke, Gentile, Liu, Seabrook and Sanders

 

                     Whereas, After the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001 which resulted in the death of more then 2700 people, the nation and indeed, the world, came together to support New York City and its residents; and

 

                     Whereas, As part of that support, there was an overwhelming view that the federal government had to play a major role in assisting New York City and New York State in recovering from the enormous physical and economic losses resulting from the attacks; and

 

                     Whereas, In a display of bipartisan support, the Congress enacted and President Bush signed into law a package of legislation that provided New York with approximately $20 billion in federal funding to assist with reconstruction and recovery; and

                     

                     Whereas, The people of New York and their elected representatives were, and are grateful to the Congress for responding quickly and generously to the needs of New York and to its citizens; and

                     

                     Whereas, In a recently-published book and in interviews with the press, House Speaker, Dennis Hastert, has criticized efforts made by New York’s elected representatives to secure federal financial support as an “unseemly scramble” for the money, noting that “All the tragedy was converted into dollars and cents”; and

 

                     Whereas, Members of New York’s Congressional delegation, including Representatives Jerald Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, have angrily denounced Speaker Hastert’s portrayal of the efforts of New York’s representatives to secure federal aid as “extremely unfair and tremendously disturbing” while pointing out that the $20 billion in federal aid that the State expected to receive covered just a fraction of the real financial impact on New York City; and

                     

                     Whereas, Nearly three years after the attacks, New York still has huge unmet human and economic needs, very substantial unpaid bills and a recovering, but still fragile economy; and

 

 

 

                     Whereas, Given New York’s on going economic needs, now is a particularly inappropriate time for partisan criticism of New York’s efforts and those of its elected representatives to fund its recovery, and

 

Whereas, Instead, now is the time for unity and solutions to the problems that resulted from the 9-11 attacks on the United States that took place at the World Trade Center in New York City; now, therefore, be it

 

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York denounces United States House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert for his recent criticism of New York’s efforts to secure funding for the rebuilding of New York City after the 9-11 attacks on the United States at New York’s World Trade Center, and calls upon the Congress of the United States to provide continued funding and support for New York in its efforts to recover from the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001.