NEW YORK—Following Congress’s successful passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health Compensation Act on Wednesday, New York politicians and 9/11 victim advocates celebrated their victory on Thursday in front of the construction site for the new Freedom Tower, where the World Trade Center towers once stood. The passage came in the last week of Congress before its holiday recess.
Bill cosponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) called the success the result of “a grass-roots movement.”
“This was the American people demanding change, demanding response, and demanding that we stand by our heroes and the families who were victims of the terrorist attack. It was their dedication and their conviction that truly brought us over the finish line,” said Gillibrand.
The bill won unanimous support in the Senate, while the House voted 206 to 60 in favor of passing the bill. The legislation will primarily provide assistance to individuals who have suffered health problems from exposure to the toxic dust that dispersed in the air on 9/11.
New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano stated that the bill would provide much needed additional funding to support FDNY’s medical monitoring program for firefighters affected by the 9/11 attacks. Established in October 2001, there are currently over 15,500 firefighters in the program in need of medical assistance.
“We’re very pleased that our firefighters will continue to get the treatment and the care they deserve for doing their job on September 11,” Cassano said.
Cassano also hopes the legislation will be a “living bill” that can later include illnesses that are currently not listed.
Bill cosponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) called the success the result of “a grass-roots movement.”
“This was the American people demanding change, demanding response, and demanding that we stand by our heroes and the families who were victims of the terrorist attack. It was their dedication and their conviction that truly brought us over the finish line,” said Gillibrand.
The bill won unanimous support in the Senate, while the House voted 206 to 60 in favor of passing the bill. The legislation will primarily provide assistance to individuals who have suffered health problems from exposure to the toxic dust that dispersed in the air on 9/11.
New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano stated that the bill would provide much needed additional funding to support FDNY’s medical monitoring program for firefighters affected by the 9/11 attacks. Established in October 2001, there are currently over 15,500 firefighters in the program in need of medical assistance.
“We’re very pleased that our firefighters will continue to get the treatment and the care they deserve for doing their job on September 11,” Cassano said.
Cassano also hopes the legislation will be a “living bill” that can later include illnesses that are currently not listed.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg thanked Congress for their bipartisan effort.
“We all recall the powerful pride that we felt in being Americans. Not Democrats or Republicans, urban or rural, from a big state or a small state, but Americans,” said Bloomberg, who has recently become an outspoken nonpartisan. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that the people I’m standing with today have been able to recapture that sense of patriotic unity for the sake of those who sacrificed so much.”
John Feal is founder of the Feal Good Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for 9/11 first responders who have been suffering from respiratory problems as a result of inhaling toxic dust at the site of ground zero. His foot was crushed while he was cleaning up the rubble of the World Trade Center.
“I could have lost both of my feet, both of my hands, but as long as I have a mouth, I advocate,” said Feal. He said that the passage of the bill was the combined effort of many political leaders and organizations, all of which were “being a patriot.”
The bill was first introduced as House Resolution (H.R.) 847 in February 2009 by New York Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D), Jerrold Nadler (D), Peter King (R), and Michael McMahon (D). The bill was estimated to cost $7.4 billion, which raised Republican concerns over increasing the federal deficit. When the House voted on H.R. 847 in July, it failed to receive the two-thirds vote needed for it to pass under suspension of the rules. In the Senate, action was also stalled when 57 senators voted not to discuss the bill.
Senators and bill sponsors Gillibrand and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) then negotiated changes to the bill, trimming the cost to $4.2 billion and spreading it out over five years, instead of the original eight years. With these adjustments, the Republicans were satisfied and the Senate passed the bill unanimously on Dec. 22.
Schumer stated that they are hoping for the funds to be ready by Memorial Day of next year.
Rep. Maloney noted that the bill would provide aid to the more than 36,000 Americans currently suffering due to the effects of the 9/11 attacks.
The bill was named after James Zadroga, an NYPD officer and 9/11 first responder who died in 2006 of a respiratory illness likely caused by the toxic dust of the World Trade Center ruins.
“We all recall the powerful pride that we felt in being Americans. Not Democrats or Republicans, urban or rural, from a big state or a small state, but Americans,” said Bloomberg, who has recently become an outspoken nonpartisan. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that the people I’m standing with today have been able to recapture that sense of patriotic unity for the sake of those who sacrificed so much.”
John Feal is founder of the Feal Good Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for 9/11 first responders who have been suffering from respiratory problems as a result of inhaling toxic dust at the site of ground zero. His foot was crushed while he was cleaning up the rubble of the World Trade Center.
“I could have lost both of my feet, both of my hands, but as long as I have a mouth, I advocate,” said Feal. He said that the passage of the bill was the combined effort of many political leaders and organizations, all of which were “being a patriot.”
The bill was first introduced as House Resolution (H.R.) 847 in February 2009 by New York Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D), Jerrold Nadler (D), Peter King (R), and Michael McMahon (D). The bill was estimated to cost $7.4 billion, which raised Republican concerns over increasing the federal deficit. When the House voted on H.R. 847 in July, it failed to receive the two-thirds vote needed for it to pass under suspension of the rules. In the Senate, action was also stalled when 57 senators voted not to discuss the bill.
Senators and bill sponsors Gillibrand and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) then negotiated changes to the bill, trimming the cost to $4.2 billion and spreading it out over five years, instead of the original eight years. With these adjustments, the Republicans were satisfied and the Senate passed the bill unanimously on Dec. 22.
Schumer stated that they are hoping for the funds to be ready by Memorial Day of next year.
Rep. Maloney noted that the bill would provide aid to the more than 36,000 Americans currently suffering due to the effects of the 9/11 attacks.
The bill was named after James Zadroga, an NYPD officer and 9/11 first responder who died in 2006 of a respiratory illness likely caused by the toxic dust of the World Trade Center ruins.
