$108 Million Boost for 9/11 Health Care in House Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Vito Fossella, and Peter King today announced that the proposed Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2009 will contain $108 million in federal funding to provide health care to first responders, local residents, area workers, students, and others who were exposed to environmental hazards released as a result of the 9/11 attacks.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI) and a bipartisan group of Appropriations Committee members from New York - including Nita Lowey, James Walsh, José Serrano, Maurice Hinchey and Steve Israel - worked to include the much-needed funding in this year’s “Labor-HHS” appropriations bill, which will move forward for a vote in the full committee in the next few weeks.

Maloney, Nadler, Fossella, and King released the following joint statement on the latest round of federal 9/11 health care funding:

“Congress is fulfilling our moral responsibility to help those who are ill as a result of the terrorist attacks on our country.  This $108 million will help keep the doors open at 9/11 health clinics and ensure that first responders, residents, workers, and students can get the care they need.

“We are once again extremely grateful for Chairman Obey's dedication to helping the men and women whose health was compromised by 9/11.  We look forward to supporting this bill when it reaches the House floor for a vote.”

Maloney, Nadler, Fossella, and King are sponsors of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would provide health care to the thousands of Americans who were sickened or injured by the toxic aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.