By Joseph Picard: Subscribe to Joseph's RSS feed
September 11, 2010 1:05 PM EDT
Lawmakers who support the Zadroga bill promise that it will soon become law.
The bill is named for James Zadroga, a New York City police detective who worked several weeks at Ground Zero, and is the first 9/11 responder to have his death in 2006 attributed to illness contracted at the site.
The bill would establish a $11.6 billion fund over 10 years, with roughly a third of that going to cover the health care costs of the victims, and the other two-thirds to compensate them for their losses. Over 20,000 people, according to government figures, have suffered since the event, either from exposure to the toxic dust of pulverized buildings and combusted chemicals, or injuries, or post-traumatic stress, or all three.
Sponsored in the House by Reps. Carol Maloney, D-NY, Jerrold Nadler, D-NY and Peter King, R-NY, the bill failed of passage in July, even though it had a majority of votes, because regular House rules were suspended in an attempt to rush the measure through. The plan backfired. The sponsors plan to bring the bill up again as soon as the House reconvenes next week.
"We have talked to the Democratic leadership and they have told us that the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act will be brought to the House floor soon after Congress returns from recess. We anticipate that the bill will be taken up the second week we are back in session and will be considered under regular order, with the expectation and belief that neither side will play politics with this vitally-important legislation," Maloney and Nadler said in a joint release.
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John Feal, a former demolition worker and 9/11 responder who received severe leg injuries while working at Ground Zero, is the founder of the Fealgood Foundation, an advocacy and outreach organization for Ground Zero first responders. the foundation has been a principal promoter of the Zadroga bill from inception.
"We demand that Congress stop the bickering and partisan fighting and finally pass H.R. 847," Feal said. "People's lives are at stake!"
Feal said the bill's importance lies in the fact that health care treatment will be guaranteed for 10 years, as opposed to people waiting each year to see if Congress will appropriate funding for 9/11 victims.
Republicans who opposed the bill said it benefitted New York area hospitals at the expense of taxpayers. Rep. Joe Barton, R-TX, said the rest of the nation should not be paying to help New Yorkers cope with the aftermath of 9/11.
"9/11 was not merely an attack on New York," said U.S. Rep. Timothy Bishop, D-NY. "New York was chosen for attack because New York symbolizes the nation. On September 11, 2001 and the weeks that followed, heroes rushed selflessly towards Ground Zero to help. It is unconscionable that nine years later, they are still waiting for help. The bill will be brought up under regular order, and thanks to the dedicated work of the first responder community I am confident it will pass."
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