The serious health impacts of the 9/11 disaster were both immediate and long-term, affecting thousands of Ground Zero responders and survivors, including downtown residents and office workers, as well as children in the City’s school system and significant portions of the region’s population as a whole. Under the Bush Administration, the federal response to these health emergencies was inadequate and disappointing because of significant funding delays, a lack of organization, and failures to respond to the full degree necessary by the administration’s health agencies.
In February 2009 I introduced, along with Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King(R-NY), and Michael McMahon (D-NY), H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health Compensation Act. The legislation has two sections, both of which have been cleared for the House floor. The health section (Title I) provides mandatory funding for the World Trade Center Health Programs, which provide medical monitoring and treatment to WTC responders and survivors who were exposed to toxins released at ground zero. The compensation section (Title II) would reopen the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) to provide fair compensation for economic losses and harm as an alternative to the current litigation system.
The Senate companion bill (S. 1334) was introduced by Sens Gillibrand, Schumer, Lautenberg, and Menendez on July 24, 2009. This was the first time comprehensive 9/11 health legislation had been introduced in the Senate.
I am also asking asking individuals exposed to the toxins of Ground Zero to share their stories with me. If you are willing to share your story, I ask that you take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire:
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