Brindisi Praises 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund Legislation Signed Into Law

Statement

After the President signed the Never Forget the Heroes Act, Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) issued the following statement:

"Washington finally did the right thing. On September 11th, many courageous New York first responders ran towards danger. They didn't ask questions, they didn't hesitate, they bravely charged into the wreckage to help and today we properly honored them. Permanently reauthorizing the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund is a small token of gratitude to these brave men and women. And I am pleased the President signed this important bill into law."

The "VCF" was created to provide compensation for those who suffered physical harm or were killed as a result of the 9/11 terror attack or the debris removal efforts that took place after the crashes. The original VCF ran from 2001-2004. In 2011, Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 to allow the VCF to operate for a period of five years, ending in October 2016. Congress passed a reauthorization of that bill in 2015, which included a five-year reauthorization of the VCF, allowing individuals to submit their claims until December 18, 2020.

To date, the VCF has received 48,548 eligibility claims, with 23,390 claimants eligible for compensation. In February, the VCF reported "insufficient funds" and announced cuts of 50% for pending claims and 70% for new claims.

Earlier in July, Brindisi joined local first responders to call on Congress to pass this legislation.

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