The Wall Street Journal – September 17, 2014
by Yoni Bashan
Hilary Clinton arrived in New York Tuesday to shore up her labor credentials and lend support to a fundraiser for 9/11 first responders and survivors.
The former first lady, senator and secretary of state was the guest of honor at an event held at the United Teachers Federation building in lower Manhattan, hosted by the New York State AFL-CIO and other labor organizations.
Mrs. Clinton was a U.S. Senator at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The fundraiser was to raise awareness for the impending cessation of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act — known as the James Zadroga Act — which provides for the monitoring, medical treatment and compensation for people who sustained health problems as a result of toxic exposure after the twin towers collapsed.
Mrs. Clinton said it was organized labor that came to the forefront in the aftermath of the tragedy to “begin working with me and others” on what ultimately resulted in the bill, which became law in 2010.
“Organized labor was my principal ally and that’s why I wanted to be here tonight,” said Mrs. Clinton, adding that the “price of passage” of the bill was a sunset clause that would see it expire in 2016.
“It’s crucial we muster the same passion and pressure to extend the law that helped pass it in the first place,” she said.
To illustrate the importance of the program, Mrs. Clinton raised the case of a postal worker, Cynthia, whose mail truck was struck by plane debris during 9/11, she said.
When the woman later developed health problems and anxiety, she did not want to stop working and instead “wanted to keep going,” Mrs. Clinton said. The program, Mrs. Clinton said, was able to assist her.
She also mentioned a similar case involving a firefighter named Stanley, who spent “long hours working on the pile looking for signs of life”.
He later came down with an illness and started “coughing up blood,” she said, though he was able to gain assistance using the same health program.
“There are thousands who still need help,” she said.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Sen. Chuck Schumer were set to introduce a new bill, Mrs. Clinton said, “to save this program”.
After her speech, which lasted about 15 minutes, a group of five protesters in the audience began chanting “undocumented, unafraid” before being removed swiftly by security staff.
The commotion did not distract the the apparent presidential contender, who spent several minutes laughing and posing for selfies with excited audience members.
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