The Legislative Gazette – April 21, 2015
by Matthew D’Onofrio
Bipartisan senators and House members joined first responders, survivors and labor leaders to say they have a moral obligation to permanently renew expiring legislation that established health care and compensation for Sept. 11 volunteers and survivors.
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, passed in 2010, created the World Trade Center Health Program and reopened the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, which collectively gave firsthand victims of Sept. 11 monetary compensation for physical suffering or death and funded specialized medical programs to monitor and treat those with Sept. 11 related medical conditions such as cancer for free.
The WTC Health Program is set to expire October of this year, and the 9/11 VCF will expire in October 2016.
The first responders and survivors of Sept. 11 continue to battle critical health issues caused by exposure to the toxins as well as injuries from rescuing others and escaping from the disaster.
“Some of them were experts in their fields and some of them were simple volunteers willing to risk their lives in a dangerous place when our nation needed them the most. Simply put, they answered the call of duty when our nation was under attack and they deserve to be treated by Congress as the veterans they really are. Sadly, now 14 years later, these men and women, these ultimate patriots, are suffering for their sacrifice,” said U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-Brunswick, at a press conference she led on April 14.
More police officers have died from Sept. 11-related aftermath illnesses than on that very day. More than 33,000 people today live with at least one illness or injury caused by Sept. 11.
“We made a promise to our country; we made a promise to the world, not only to pursue justice against those who attacked innocent Americans,” said U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, at the press conference. “But we also promised to take care of those who were injured in those attacks, those heroes who risked their lives and land in the recovery effort.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, 3,900 cancers have been diagnosed among the Sept. 11 responders and survivors. Of the afflicted, 60 different cancers were found.
The 44 cosponsors of the Act seek beyond just renewal and extension but lifetime permanency.
“We cannot fail. We cannot fail in the names of the first responders who rushed to the towers, we cannot fail in the names of their families, we cannot fail in the name of New York, and we cannot fail in the name of these great United States of America,” said U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, also at the press conference.
According to U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, whose district includes Ground Zero, many of the people who are ill today contracted their illness, or illnesses, because of the federal government’s false assurance that the Ground Zero area was safe to work at without protection from the toxins present.
U.S. Rep. Pete King said, “This [legislation] is absolutely necessary. You go to any district in the state; you go to any neighborhood in any of our districts, you will find people suffering from what happened to them on Sept. 11, with rare blood cancers, with brain tumors, with respiratory illnesses, people who were cut down on the prime of life because they answered the call.”
U.S. Rep. José Serrano brought up at the hearing that not only the states but American territories such as Puerto Rico and even those who aren’t official U.S. citizens voluntarily responded to Sept. 11.
“We have a lot of debate going on right now in this country about government: the size, the value and the service,” said Harold Schaitberger, general president of International Association of Fire Fighters. “And the fact of the matter is the work that took place that day and the work of the members I get to represent and those in public service is actually part of the critical component, the very basic of what our country should be providing, and our country should be providing for the protection of those who are willing to provide the protection of our citizens.”
William Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations, also lent his remarks.
“Thousands of first responders continue to suffer from serious healthy conditions caused by their exposure to toxic chemicals at Ground Zero,” Johnson said. “This legislation not only reauthorizes programs to provide the crucial medical treatment and compensation for these heroes but also honor those who made the ultimate sacrifices to protect our nation.”
James Zadroga was a New York City Police officer and detective and a member of NAPO. He died of a respiratory disease caused by Sept. 11 and was the first to die from Sept. 11 related medical conditions.
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