Chairman Garbarino Joins Fox Business to Condemn Political Violence, Honor Charlie Kirk’s Legacy, and Fight for 9/11 Survivors

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) joined Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" to honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk and condemn the heinous political violence that took his life.

On the 24th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, Chairman Garbarino also continued his fight for the 9/11 survivors and first responders who are still impacted to this day.

Later today, Chairman Garbarino and Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) will lead a bipartisan site visit to Ground Zero to lay flowers at the memorial in remembrance of the victims and first responders, after which they will tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Watch the full interview here and read highlights below.

On the loss of Charlie Kirk and the heightened political violence in America, Chairman Garbarino said:

"I hope people will join me in prayers for Charlie and his family and all Americans who are just devastated by this assassination that took place at an area where there was open debate, something our country was founded on. For someone to shoot him and assassinate him like this, while having that open debate, just goes against what this country was founded for. These lone wolf actors are so tough and difficult to follow and track and this is why the political rhetoric out there needs to come down… I'm so sorry for Charlie and his family, and it's just devastating to all of us here on Capitol Hill and in America."

On Charlie Kirk's legacy, Chairman Garbarino said:

"It wasn't just young conservatives, he did a great job there, but he inspired all conservatives. He inspired a lot of people to get involved and people who thought that their ideas or their thoughts didn't matter. He inspired them all to get up and fight for what they believed in, and talk about what they believed in. And to have that honest, peaceful debate, which we don't even see as much here on Capitol Hill anymore between members of Congress… Charlie, what he did, and what he was continuing to try to do, was to have that honest debate and have people talk about their policy differences in a peaceful way and try to come to a solution. His assassination is a loss for this country."

On the significance of today and his fight for 9/11 survivors and first responders, Chairman Garbarino said:

"It's been 24 years since the 9 /11 attacks. I was a senior in high school. I remember that day perfectly. But it wasn't just that day that we lost lives. We are continuing to lose first responders and people who were there that day, and the weeks after, on the pile. I think there are now over 80,000 Americans that are being treated for 9 /11 related diseases, over 40,000 that have cancer. I just lost a friend this year, Jamie Atkinson. He was an MTA cop who was there on the pile. He died fighting his third 9 /11-related cancer just this year, and more and more people are still getting sick. We have to take care of them. We made the promise never to forget and to make sure that those first responders, those people that showed up to help that day and the weeks after are taken care of, and they have the healthcare-not just that they need-but that we promised them they would have."

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