New York, NY - Today, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens), Congressman Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn) gathered at Ground Zero with a group of 9/11 responders, family members and others who will be attending tomorrow's State of the Union Address.

Those heading to Washington include John Sferazo and Marvin Bethea of the Unsung Heroes Helping Heroes Foundation; Joseph, Linda and Tylerann Zadroga, the father, mother and daughter of 9/11 responder James Zadroga, who died last year of an illness caused by 9/11; Ceasar Borja, Jr., the son of retired NYPD officer and 9/11 responder Ceasar Borja, who is in need of a lung transplant; and Robert Gulack, a Manhattan office worker suffering lung damage because of exposure to World Trade Center debris.

With the first and only dose of federal funds for 9/11 health treatment running out, the elected officials and responders called on President Bush to include ample 9/11 health funding, both for this year and for 2008, in his upcoming budget proposal. The participants also requested that the Bush Administration develop a comprehensive plan to monitor everyone exposed to Ground Zero toxins and treat anyone who is sick as a result.

"The administration needs to do the right thing for those who have given so much," Senator Schumer said. "It is time for the Administration to step up and provide adequate funding for monitoring and treatment for the 9/11 workers in the President's FY 08 budget."

"These first responders, volunteers and their families are living proof of our very real need to provide for their medical treatment, now and in the future. I hope that as the President presents the State of the Union on Tuesday night, he acknowledges their situation and provides the funding in the upcoming budget that is needed to take care of these brave and selfless people who never questioned their responsibility on 9/11 and are now paying a terrible price," Senator Clinton said.

"The President must act now or 9/11 health clinics are going to get foreclosure notices," said Rep. Maloney. "We cannot let that happen. More responders should not have to die before we finally do right by the heroes of 9/11. It is well past time for 9/11 responders and lower Manhattan residents to get the care they need and deserve."

Rep. Fossella said, "We have made progress over the last year to begin getting the resources necessary to help our 9/11 heroes. However, we now need a significant investment by the federal government into health monitoring and treatment for those who are sick or injured. In addition, the federal government must develop a comprehensive plan to address the health impacts of 9/11. We continue urging the White House to provide adequate funding in the 2008 budget to help all those who are sick or injured as a result of the terror attacks."

"The Federal, State, and City governments are clearly culpable for recklessly allowing thousands of people to be exposed to environmental toxins in the days following 9/11," said Rep. Nadler. "And yet, we are seeing 9/11 victims struggling to pay health care costs with inadequate or no insurance, a horrendous number of worker's compensation claims rejected, and a government still failing to test and clean up apartments, workspaces and schools, which would prevent more people from getting sick."

Senators Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton and Reps. Maloney, Nadler, and Maurice Hinchey gave their gallery passes to the State of the Union to the responders, who will highlight the urgent need for additional federal funding for 9/11 health treatment and monitoring.

In a meeting with NY elected officials last month, the Bush Administration appointees responsible for directing the federal government's 9/11 health policy were informed that health treatment programs that have received federal funding will likely run out of money and be forced to close their doors as early as this summer. More than 32,000 people are registered in the two major treatment programs, operated by Mt. Sinai Hospital and the New York City Fire Department.