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NEW YORK, NY – Congressman Jerrold Nadler issued the following statement in response to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's announcement of new initiatives regarding 9/11 health issues:
“I applaud Mayor Bloomberg for the initiatives he announced today to address the growing 9/11 public health crisis. These are good first steps. In particular, creating a World Trade Center Environmental Health Center at Bellevue Hospital that begins to address the medical needs of residents, uninsured individuals, and undocumented immigrants is a welcome development, " Congressman Nadler said.
He added, "However, much more needs to be done. Quite frankly, while spending $16 million dollars over five years is certainly a worthy step, adequately providing medical treatment for those affected by 9/11 will be a much more costly and potentially huge long-term burden that the City or the State should not have to shoulder alone. The terrorists attacked the United States, not just New York City, and it is ultimately the Federal Government’s responsibility to provide adequately for the long-term health consequences of that attack. Our job will not be complete until everyone suffering 9/11 health effects can receive top notch treatment now and for years to come, as it is very likely that more and more people will fall ill from late-onset or chronic diseases 15 and 20 years from now. I welcome the Mayor’s support today for our efforts to extend the life of the Victim’s Compensation Fund, but also call on him to demand a federal, long-term response to unmet health needs, as well as a proper testing and cleanup program for all spaces affected by WTC contamination."
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