Congressman Engel Calls for Immediate Renewal of the Jame Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act

Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined a bipartisan coalition of Senate and House members in calling for the swift renewal of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which is set to expire later this year. Following a nearly decade long fight to ensure the first responders who answered the call on September 11, 2001 were provided the health care and financial compensation they deserved, Congress fulfilled its moral obligation and passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010. Now, the bill's two most critical programs--the World Trade Center Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund--are set to expire in October 2015 and October 2016 respectively barring Congressional action.

"I believe allowing key provisions of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act to expire later this year, while so many first-responders and volunteers are still struggling with the health effects of 9/11, would be an absolute disgrace," Congressman Engel said. "Passing this bill in 2010 was an enormous struggle, as it faced opposition that I would consider unimaginable from certain House members. It still shocks me that caring for those who suffered terribly on 9/11 was a partisan issue. I hope this time around that won't be the case.

"Undoing this hard fought progress through Congressional inaction is an unacceptable course. Not renewing the Zadroga Act would be an outrage to every first-responder, an insult to every man and woman who selflessly ran into those buildings that fateful day, and an affront to the memory of everyone who lost their lives on 9/11. Congress has a moral obligation to renew this act."

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