A State of the Union Message on 9/11 Health: Sick Responders in Washington to Watch President's Speech, Push for Federal Aid
A State of the Union Message on 9/11 Health: Sick Responders in Washington to Watch President's Speech, Push for Federal Aid
As the first and only dose of federal 9/11 health treatment money is on the verge of running out, sick 9/11 responders and family members traveled to Washington today to watch the president's State of the Union Address and join with lawmakers in calling for serious federal assistance for the responders, residents and workers affected by the toxic air at Ground Zero. The responders and lawmakers, who for years have called for a better federal response to the 9/11 health effects, are concerned not only that funds are running dry but also that the administration has yet to develop a comprehensive plan to address the crisis.
The responders and family members received their tickets to the House Gallery for the State of the Union address from Members of the New York delegation. In speaking before the State of the Union, the responders were joined by Reps. Carloyn Maloney (D-NY), Vito Fossella (R-NY), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Jerrold Nadler, as well as Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-CT).
Representing those made ill by the toxic air at Ground Zero were ironworker John Sferazo and paramedic Marvin Bethea of the Unsung Heroes Helping Heroes; Joseph Zadroga, father of deceased NYPD detective James Zadroga; lower Manhattan office worker Robert Gulack; Ceasar Borja, Jr., son of retired NYPD officer, Cesar Borja, who is critically ill at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC; and FDNY Lt. Martin Fullham.
Also appearing with the responders were doctors representing the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program and representatives of the New York State AFL-CIO.
"The 9/11 heroes in the House Gallery tonight will represent the thousands responders, residents and workers who were made sick by the toxic air at Ground Zero and have been desperately looking to their government and their president for help," said Rep. Maloney, co-chair of the 9/11 Health Caucus. "The only dose of federal treatment funds for 9/11 health effects is running out, and we want the president to commit to a real and ample federal program of assistance. There are heroes dying, and the government has barely lifted a finger. Our goal is to get everyone who was exposed to the toxic air examined and everyone who is sick treated."
"We have made progress over the last year to begin getting the resources necessary to help our 9/11 heroes," said Rep. Fossella, co-chair of the 9/11 Health Caucus. "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 president will raise a lot of issues tonight in his State of the Union address. Among these, I truly hope that he will take the time to recognize the state of these 9/11 responders' health and commit to providing the funds needed to take care of these heroic individuals," Rep. Hinchey said. "During one of our nation's darkest moments, these brave men and women selflessly gave their time and energy to help rescue their fellow Americans. Unfortunately, we've learned that many of them also sacrificed their good health when they breathed in the toxic air at the site of the World Trade Center. The State of the Union will be tarnished unless we act to provide the funds needed to take care of our 9/11 heroes."
"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."
"When the President sees New York's 9/11 workers sitting in the audience during his address, he should remember not only their bravery in the wake of the attacks, but also the health problems they continue to suffer from due to their heroic efforts at Ground Zero," said Senator Schumer. "At the very least, the President needs to understand that it's our country's moral obligation to ensure that the 2008 budget includes adequate funding for the monitoring and treatment of these workers. Time is running out."
"Our message to the President is clear: include funding in this year's budget to monitor and treat those who survived the attacks of 9/11, who breathed that toxic air, who mounted the greatest rescue in the history of the world but did not walk away unharmed. People are still carrying incredible burdens in the aftermath of 9/11 - still sacrificing, still suffering. What we secured so far is only a down payment in repaying our debt to those who came to us in our hour of need. I am hopeful the President will heed this call," said Senator Clinton.
"It defies comprehension that more than five years after the attack the heroes who rushed into the rubble of the World Trade Center still don't have the care they need," said Rep. Murphy. "The federal government has to stop dragging their heels and get these people care. We cannot continue to send a message to our firefighters that their health needs could be neglected once they return from a battle ground."
"The first responders were heroes on September 11th and they remain heroes today. We must never forget that," said Suzy Ballantyne, Political Director, New York State AFL-CIO. "The president must recognize these brave men and women with more than just words, but in deed. The administration must provide funding in this budget to ensure that our heroes get the care they so justly deserve."
In October, the Department of Health and Human distributed $75 million in 9/11 health funds - $40 million of which was for health treatment (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1224&Itemid=61). This was the very first federal money spent for treatment of 9/11 health effects.
Reps. Maloney and Fossella urged the president in November to include new 9/11 health treatment funding in his upcoming FY08 budget proposal (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1254&Itemid=61).
In December, HHS notified members of the New York delegation in a closed-door briefing that the federal treatment programs may have to be shuttered by the summer without and infusion of federal funds (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1254&Itemid=61). 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.
Background
9/11 responders have sat in the balcony for the State of the Union as the guests of Rep. Maloney and other New York Members on three previous occasions. Despite these visible efforts to get the federal government to focus on 9/11 health issues, no federal plan has been developed.
The responders first attended the State of the Union in 2003 (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=511&Itemid=63).
Responders and area residents returned in 2005 (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=152&Itemid=63).
Last year, Bethea attended the State of the Union as the guest of Rep. Maloney (http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1053&Itemid=63).
http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1269&Itemid=61