Nadler, along with Engel, Towns and Weiner,
Introduces Bill to Provide $1.9B to Fund 9/11 Health

Introduces House Version of Senator Hillary Clinton’s Bill to Fund Centers of
Excellence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), along with fellow New York delegation members who serve on the key committee of jurisdiction, Eliot Engel, Edolphus Towns and Anthony Weiner, introduced the 9/11 Heroes Health Improvement Act of 2007, which would provide more than $1.9 billion in federal funding for medical and mental health screening, testing, monitoring, and treatment grants to institutions that provide care to those whose health was affected in the 9/11 attacks. Senators Clinton, Schumer, Kennedy, and Menendez have introduced companion legislation (S. 201) in the Senate.

This bill would provide a necessary continued and expanded funding mechanism for institutions like what New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls the WTC Centers of Excellence: the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program at Mount Sinai, the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center at Bellevue Hospital, and the Fire Department of New York World Trade Center Medical Screening and Treatment Program. A recent New York City report estimates that 9/11 health care costs have already topped $2 billion and would require a bare minimum of $150 million a year for the next few years.  The report also estimates that the affected population is due to increase to 681,000, a 10 fold increase over the currently treated population, due primarily to late-onset disease.

“The federal government is, in part, responsible for the 9/11 health crisis and has an absolute duty to provide health care for those who become sick,” said Rep. Nadler.  “It is abundantly clear that institutions that have been providing outstanding care and essential research, like the ‘WTC Centers of Excellence,’ will need considerably greater federal funding to continue and expand the scope of their work, as the number of affected individuals is expected to skyrocket.”  Rep. Nadler added, “The New York delegation is determined to get that funding, and with Energy and Commerce Committee members Towns, Engel and Weiner on the case, I am extremely optimistic about our prospects.”

While President Bush recently committed to a $25 million “placeholder” in his federal budget, testimony at a hearing last week by the Administration’s top 9/11 health official, Dr. John Agwonobi, left observers extremely concerned about the extent of the Administration’s commitment.  Dr. Agwonobi revealed that the Administration had made little progress in the development of a comprehensive approach to 9-11 health, and that solutions being currently contemplated would not include residents, non-first responder workers, or school children.  Moreover, a news report following that hearing suggested that the Administration may be considering eliminating existing funding to institutions currently providing the vast majority of screening, testing, monitoring, treatment and research.   

“Continued and expanded funding of the WTC Centers of Excellence must be a cornerstone of any approach to 9/11 health.  And if the President fails to act, the Congress most take action,” Rep. Nadler said.  “It is unconscionable that five years later, this Administration has still failed to take responsibility for the harm they did when the Environmental Protection Agency lied about the air quality at Ground Zero.  The fact that they have made no visible progress on providing a comprehensive 9/11 health solution and are even possibly discussing the notion of cutting current funding is an outrage,” he added.

Last week, Rep. Nadler re-introduced his 9/11 Comprehensive Health Benefits Act, a bill that would provide a framework for a longer term, comprehensive solution to the 9/11 health crisis.   Via the Medicare program, 9/11 affected individuals would be entitled to high-quality health care coverage for all of their 9/11-related illnesses, with no out-of-pocket costs, and no matter where in the country they live.  It would also establish a coordinating body of expert institutions to devise and maintain standards of care and coordinate research.  And it would ensure that health care for victims of 9/11 in the long run is not subject to the vagaries of the politicized annual budgeting process.

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