Sources: Bloomy and King to meet with Boehner, Cantor about 9/11 bill
PoliticoSeptember 12, 2010
Mayor Bloomberg will be in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, where he'll be at a meeting led by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) with House Minority Leader John Boehner and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor to push for Republican support for the James Zadroga 9/11 health bill.
The goal of the meeting, which sources said was set up awhile ago, is to try to get the bill through on a simple majority vote when it comes to the floor, which is expected within the next three weeks, and avoid having an poison-pill amendments entered into it.
The meeting was arranged by King, according to several sources, who has been a big proponent of getting the bill passed, and who criticized Democrats for going to a two-thirds "suspension" vote before the August recess. He's also vowed to do what he can to get Republican support to pass it.
If it doesn't pass now, there's increasing worry within the New York delegation that it could be the last chance they have to get it done, given the current predictions for a GOP takeover in November.
Republicans have blasted it as an entitlement program, and have said, among other issues, that they want to strip a provision providing services to illegal immigrants.