NEW YORK – On the 18th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney released the following statement:

“We’ve spent eighteen years without the loved ones, coworkers, and friends who were killed on 9/11, and the grief is still fresh.

“When we pledged as a nation to ‘Never Forget’ – we made a promise to honor those lost and to thank those who answered the call in our nation’s darkest hours. This year, with the passage of the Never Forget the Heroes Act to finally make the Victim Compensation Fund permanent, we turned that promise into law.

“Nothing will ever bring back those we lost, and nothing can ever fully repay the sacrifices that 9/11 first responders and survivors made for our country. However, by providing the healthcare and compensation these families and heroes need and deserve, I hope we also provide at least a little peace of mind.

“I am honoring my promise to Never Forget by doing all I can to make sure all responders and survivors know about the World Trade Center Health Program and September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund so that they and their families are taken care of. The more people who know they are entitled to these programs, the more good the programs can do.

“Today, we come together to remember the lives that were taken from us on that day, and in the years that have followed, and we are reminded of the strength and resiliency of our nation and what we can achieve when we band together.”