Congressmember Carolyn Maloney scored a success last week in her continuing fight to secure healthcare funding for Ground Zero workers when the House passed a bill allocating more than $70 million in funding for the World Trade Center Health Program.
Maloney was among the prime sponsors of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would provide long-term comprehensive health care and compensation for those sickened or injured in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center of Sept. 11, 2001.
Commenting on the bill's passage, Maloney (D- Queens/Manhattan) declared: "The heroes and heroines of 9/11 deserve a helping hand from the federal government—it's the least we can do as a grateful nation. This $70 million in federal funding will keep the doors of 9/11 health clinics open until we pass comprehensive 9/11 health legislation, hopefully by the eighth anniversary of the attacks."
Maloney's release said the $70,723,000 would directly benefit first responders and community members who are living with 9/11-related illnesses.
From Congresswoman Maloney's press release:
“Today’s vote is a crucial step toward our goal of passing this landmark bill by the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Eight years is long enough to finally get proper care and compensation for the heroes and heroines of 9/11,” said Rep. Maloney. “I thank my good friends and cosponsors Jerry Nadler, Pete King, and Michael McMahon for their leadership and I am grateful to Chairman Conyers, Congresswoman Lofgren, and Speaker Pelosi for their steadfast support in moving this long-overdue bill forward. I would also like to extend my gratitude to three friends on the other side of the aisle who voted today to approve this bill: Reps. Dan Lungren, Ted Poe, and Thomas Rooney.”
The Daily News:
GOP Disses 9/11 Responders
July 28, 2009 WASHINGTON — First responders from 9/11 can accept if Republicans don’t vote for a bill to help ailing Ground Zero workers, but they say rudeness is another matter.
Several victims of the terror attacks who have become advocates on behalf of other ill responders say they were treated poorly when they called some Capitol Hill Republicans in hopes of getting them to back a measure coming up for a committee vote Wednesday.
“One office said, ‘Why do you people keep calling us? Leave us alone,’” said Charlie Giles, 41, from Barnegat, N.J. “‘You people?’ That is a disgrace from a congressman’s office.”
Giles, a Republican, said his rounds of calls — and GOP opposition to a bill to reopen the Sept. 11 Victims’ Compensation Fund — left him so angry he’s ready to denounce his party when he and other responders take a bus to the Capitol Wednesday.
“I’ll bring my Republican card, and show it to them,” he said. “If I have to tear it into a million pieces in front of them, I will.”
Giles, who was an EMT on Sept. 11, 2001, singled out the offices of Reps. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) and Thomas Rooney (R-Fla.), as did other angry responders. They said their reactions from other members of the GOP was better.
Spokespeople for both congressmen said they were not aware of any problems with callers, and insisted they provide unfailingly polite and helpful service.
In one instance, a spokesperson for Forbes thought an intern may have annoyed someone by offering to take their name and see if an appointment could be arranged.
“If someone felt they were mistreated, we apologize,” said Rooney spokesman Jeff Ostermayer. “Our office treats everyone who calls with courtesy and respect.”
Daily News calls to their offices were answered politely, but a worker in Rooney’s office said she couldn’t answer a question about the bill, and transferred the call to a Democratic committee office without saying that’s what she was doing.
“They were just cold,” said Glen Klein, 50, a retired city detective, “like you’re interrupting their lunch or something like that.”
Klein, of Centereach, L.I., spent nine months working at Ground Zero and is collecting Social Security disability.
James O’Connell, 50, an ex-Army man who recently survived a suicide attempt he blames on his 9/11 suffering, said he couldn’t understand the reception he got.
“They were at the very least, conduct unprofessional,” he said. “I don’t get politicians. I thought 9/11 was something that affected all Americans. I thought it was nonpartisan.
Read the whole article....
What happened to Charles Giles and other 9/11 first-responders is shameful.
Bachmann is not on the list of co-sponsors of H.R. 847 The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation.
Bachmann often invokes 9/11. Reporters and constituents need to ask Bachmann and other representatives to co-sponsor the bill to help the first responders and victims of the events of 9/11.
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