Pallone Statement at Health Hearing on 9/11 Health & Compensation Legislation

Statement

PALLONE STATEMENT AT HEALTH HEARING ON 9/11 HEALTH & COMPENSATION LEGISLATION

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, gave the following opening statement at a subcommittee hearing this morning on H.R. 6594, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008.

"Good morning. Today the subcommittee is meeting to review H.R. 6594, the 'James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008,' introduced by Ms. Maloney, Mr. Nadler, Mr. King and Mr. Fossella. I would like to thank all of you for your hard work on this legislation.

"Last year, the subcommittee held a hearing to examine the ongoing medical monitoring and treatment programs related to 9/11 health effects. I am proud to be able to hold a second hearing today on legislation designed to bolster current efforts and provide adequate monitoring and treatment services.

"None of us will ever forget the horrible events of 9/11, and seven years later we simply cannot forget about the thousands of people who helped at Ground Zero in the days and months afterwards. I was there with President Bush and many of my colleagues several days after 9/11, and I saw the dedicated workers and volunteers doing whatever needed to be done. They didn't ask questions; they just acted.

"In the months following 9/11, I joined Congressman Nadler at field hearings to investigate the presence of hazardous waste due to the attack and the practical health effects to those exposed. At that time, many were skeptical about possible long-term effects. We now know how wrong they were.

"Today, we must do everything in our power to protect the responders, clean-up crews, volunteers and victims of the World Trade Center attacks. Thousands of first responders, rescue workers and local residents now suffer from chronic medical conditions that are directly related to the tons of dust, glass fragments and other toxins that were released into the air in lower Manhattan when the twin towers collapsed.

"Studies have shown that nearly 70 percent of the rescue workers currently suffer from complex respiratory conditions that were caused or worsened by the terrorist attacks. One-third of these workers have abnormal pulmonary function tests, and one in every eight responders has experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Studies have also examined the effects on local residents, showing a three-fold increase in lower respiratory diseases, low pregnancy rates and an increase in a variety of mental health disorders.

"In my district alone there are 1,400 known individuals who were exposed to the toxins released by the 9/11 attacks. It is now our turn to step up to the plate and help ensure that they can access the medical care they need and deserve.

"The 'James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act,' is an important step in this direction. This bill is named for James Zadroga, a New Jersey hero who responded on 9/11 and spent hundreds of hours digging through World Trade Center debris. Mr. Zadroga died in 2006 from pulmonary disease and respiratory failure after his exposure to toxic dust at the World Trade Center site.

"This bill would establish a permanent program to monitor and screen eligible residents and responders, and provide medical treatment to those who are suffering from World Trade Center related diseases. It would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct and support research into new conditions that may be related to the attacks and to evaluate different and emerging methods of diagnosis and treatment for these conditions. And it would build upon the expertise of the Centers of Excellence, which are currently providing high-quality care to thousands of responders and ensuring ongoing data collection and analysis to evaluate health risks.

"One of these centers is located in my district, and is headed up by Dr. Iris Udasin. The program, which is a joint institute of Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey and the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, serves over one thousand rescue and recovery workers. Last year, I had the opportunity to visit that program to see how it provides the opportunity for early detection and intervention to lessen the severity of the illnesses that many rescue and recovery workers are experiencing.

"This is a large undertaking. However, it is crucial that we step up and share these costs. The responders, volunteers, workers and community members should not be left to bear the burden of their health care costs after risking their lives to come to our nation's aid.

"Today we will be hearing from a variety of people about the strengths and weaknesses of the current programs that provide medical monitoring and treatment to those suffering from health effects related to the 9/11 attacks, and how the legislation before us will influence those efforts.

"Again, I would like to thank all the sponsors of this bill for your tireless efforts on this very crucial issue. I look forward to hearing from you all today. I would also like to thank the other witnesses for appearing before us today to share their expertise. I look forward to your testimony and your insight on how this legislation would address the health care needs of the responders and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"I do want to voice my displeasure however, that Dr. Howard, the former Director of NIOSH, is not present today to testify. While I greatly appreciate Dr. Gerberding being here today to testify and recognize her great accomplishments and contributions as Director of the CDC, Dr. Howard has been the one overseeing the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment program since its inception. I believe he is by far the most informed person in this administration to speak on these programs, and it is unfortunate that the administration refused to allow Dr. Howard to testify this morning.

"More than this though, I am dismayed by the administration's decision to not reappoint Dr. Howard for another term. Dr. Howard has done an exceptional job and has earned the respect and praise from industry and labor alike for his commitment to this cause. His expertise will be greatly missed.

"I now recognize my colleague from Georgia, Mr. Deal, for five minutes for his opening statement."

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