Health and compensation for injured and ill 9/11 survivors and responders set to expire without Congressional action
WASHINGTON –Support for a permanent extension of the programs established to aid ailing 9/11 responders and survivors reached a critical milestone today with 102 Members of the House of Representatives, including 24 Republicans, now backing the effort. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1786) introduced by Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Peter T. King (R-NY) just three months ago is rapidly gaining cosponsors as the 14th anniversary of the attacks approaches. The bill would prevent the October 2016 shutdown of the World Trade Center Health Program and Victim Compensation Fund.
“Support for a permanent extension of the Zadroga Act is strong, bipartisan and growing,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. “In less than three months, nearly a quarter of the House has coalesced behind the bipartisan effort. 9/11 victims and first responders have suffered immensely, both on the day of the attack and every day since. Many have developed severe health issues. This country owes it to these men and women to make sure each one of them has continued access to health care and the compensation they need to rebuild their lives. I am proud to see so many of my colleagues joining this effort.”
“From across the country and the political aisle, support continues to grow for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “I am glad to see that fourteen years later, the sacrifices of first responders and survivors, who risked their own lives to save others and provided us with examples of great courage, commitment and heroism in the hours, weeks and years since, are not being forgotten. The permanent extension of the Zadroga Act will ensure that the men and women whose lives were forever changed on 9/11 continue to have access to the health coverage and compensation they so desperately need and deserve. I am very proud of the progress we have made in this fight and even prouder to be standing with so many of my colleagues on this important issue.”
“The ever increasing number of House colleagues from both parties and all regions supporting the permanent extension of the Zadroga Act is encouraging,” said Congressman Peter T. King. “Too many of our 9/11 responders and survivors continuing to fight serious illnesses. We have come too far and we must continue to ensure that our 9/11 heroes receive the care they deserve.”
H.R. 1786 is supported by Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Peter T. King, Christopher P. Gibson, Paul Tonko, Richard L. Hanna, John Katko, Louise McIntosh Slaughter, Brian Higgins, Michael G. Fitzpatrick, Gerald E. Connolly, Mark Pocan, Zoe Lofgren, Leonard Lance, Yvette D. Clarke, Charles B. Rangel, Joseph Crowley, Jose E. Serrano, Eliot L. Engel, Nita M. Lowey, Sean Patrick Maloney, Raul M. Grijalva, Juan Vargas, Christopher H. Smith, Elise M. Stefanik, Chris Collins, John B. Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa L. DeLauro, James A. Himes, Elizabeth H. Esty, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Janice D. Schakowsky, James P. McGovern, Thomas MacArthur, Frank Pallone, Albio Sires, Bill Pascrell, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Lee M. Zeldin, Steve Israel, Kathleen M. Rice, Gregory W. Meeks, Grace Meng, Nydia M. Velazquez, Hakeem S. Jeffries, Tony Cardenas, Frank A. LoBiondo, Stephen F. Lynch, Tom Reed, Patrick Murphy, Donald M. Payne, Lois Capps, Lois Frankel, Mark Takano, Judy Chu, Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, Eric Swalwell, Donald Norcross, Alan Grayson, Jim McDermott, Peter Welch, Scott Garrett, Daniel M. Donovan, Joseph J. Heck, John Conyers, Mike Bost, Brendan F. Boyle, Mike Kelly, David W. Jolly, Charles W. Dent, Sheila Jackson Lee, Michael E. Capuano, John A. Yarmuth, Matt Cartwright, Wm. Lacy Clay, Alcee L. Hastings, Ed Perlmutter, Ann M. Kuster, Mark DeSaulnier, Sanford D. Bishop, Gene Green, Doris O. Matsui, Mark Takai, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Tim Murphy, Kathy Castor, Michael C. Burgess, Frank C. Guinta, Chris Van Hollen, David Scott, Henry C. “Hank Johnson, John Lewis, Tulsi Gabbard, Frederica S. Wilson, Andre Carson, David N. Cicilline, John P. Sarbanes, Jackie Speier, Joseph P. Kennedy, Ron Kind, and Donna Edwards.
The companion legislation in the Senate is sponsored by 23 Senators.
If passed, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act would:
- Continue the World Trade Center Health Program
- Continue to provide monitoring and treatment for communities throughout the nation
- Continue the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF)
- Make the programs permanent
- Continue New York City’s cost share
- Continue to research new conditions
