House Passes 9/11 Health and Compensation Act
The House this afternoon passed final congressional approval of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, which provides medical care for persons exposed to harmful toxins from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. First responders, cleanup workers and those living within the terrorist attack areas are eligible for care.
The $7.4 billion bill passed easily 268 to 160. Seventeen Republicans supported the measure, while three Democrats voted against the bill.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spoke out on the House floor in favor of the bill, saying it will help those who jeopardize their health to rescue others, secure necessary medical treatment especially for the unique exposures suffered at Ground Zero, and ensures survivors and victims’ families can attain compensation for their losses.
“They and those who rushed to the scene in real time when it happened risked their lives and their health to do so. They didn’t ask any questions. Is anybody going to take care of me? They were there to help,” Pelosi said. “Today we remember all the heroes of 9/11, we praised the strength of thousands of firefighters, rescue workers, first responders and medical personnel who turned tragedy into inspiration, and gave themselves, of themselves, to help a city and our nation rebuild.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the House for passing the bill, but urged the Senate to pass the bill during the lame duck session of Congress after the congressional midterm elections.
“Today’s vote acknowledges that the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks were an attack on America, and addressing its health impacts is a national duty. This bill recognizes that the country should be there for the tens of thousands of responders who were there for us on 9/11,” Bloomberg said. “It is imperative that we secure a commitment to bring this bill up in the Senate before the current Congress goes out of session and I will be working very hard with our Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer to ensure that happens. The President has said he will sign this bill when it reaches his desk. It’s not enough to pass a bill in the House – we need to make this legislation law.”
Pelosi said the legislation, which was introduced by New York Democrat Rep. Carolyn Maloney, is fully paid for and does not increase the deficit.
“We pledge to do everything in our power to ensure that their health and wellbeing would be taken care of. We don’t want them to be unsung heroes. We want them to be recognized heroes,” Pelosi said. “Today we are here to honor that pledge. It’s long overdue.”
An attempt last July to get the bill through the House failed because it was brought to the floor under an expedited procedure requiring a two-thirds majority for passage, which it failed to get.
The House bill is named for James Zadroga, who was a New York City Police Department officer who died of a respiratory disease linked to his participation in rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of the World Trade Center. 9/11 rescue workers and first responders including members of the New York Police Department and New York Fire Department firefighters came to the Capitol today to witness the vote.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, said she’s working with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring the bill to a vote in the Senate during the lame duck session.
“This should not be a partisan issue. We have an undeniable, moral obligation to pass this legislation and provide care to the thousands of heroes and survivors who are suffering, dying, and waiting for us to deliver the care they need,” Gillibrand said. “It’s time to seize every opportunity, pass this legislation, and keep our promise to the heroes of this country who came to our rescue on 9/11.”
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Nice.
Ron Paul and 159 Congress People Vote Against Healthcare for Sick 9/11 Heroes
The following names are the people in Congress that voted AGAINST helping the 9/11 1st Responders with health care. There are about 900 dead responders since the attacks 9 years ago, and tens of thousands more sick and dying. When everybody was running away from Ground Zero, these people were running in to save as many people as they can. The people on this list feel that we should not help them. Please adjust your voter ballots accordingly in November and tell all of your friends about it too. Thank you.
No Votes (160)
Member
Party
Dist.
Robert B. Aderholt
R
AL-4
Todd Akin
R
MO-2
Rodney Alexander
R
LA-5
Steve Austria
R
OH-7
Michele Bachmann
R
MN-6
Spencer Bachus
R
AL-6
J. Gresham Barrett
R
SC-3
Roscoe G. Bartlett
R
MD-6
Joe L. Barton
R
TX-6
Marion Berry
D
AR-1
Judy Biggert
R
IL-13
Brian P. Bilbray
R
CA-50
Gus Bilirakis
R
FL-9
Rob Bishop
R
UT-1
Marsha Blackburn
R
TN-7
John A. Boehner
R
OH-8
Jo Bonner
R
AL-1
Mary Bono Mack
R
CA-45
John Boozman
R
AR-3
Charles Boustany Jr.
R
LA-7
Kevin Brady
R
TX-8
Bobby Bright
D
AL-2
Paul Broun
R
GA-10
Henry E. Brown Jr.
R
SC-1
Ginny Brown-Waite
R
FL-5
Vern Buchanan
R
FL-13
Michael C. Burgess
R
TX-26
Dan Burton
R
IN-5
Steve Buyer
R
IN-4
Ken Calvert
R
CA-44
Dave Camp
R
MI-4
John Campbell
R
CA-48
Eric Cantor
R
VA-7
Shelley Moore Capito
R
WV-2
John Carter
R
TX-31
Bill Cassidy
R
LA-6
Jason Chaffetz
R
UT-3
Howard Coble
R
NC-6
Mike Coffman
R
CO-6
K. Michael Conaway
R
TX-11
Jim Cooper
D
TN-5
Ander Crenshaw
R
FL-4
John Culberson
R
TX-7
Geoff Davis
R
KY-4
Mario Diaz-Balart
R
FL-25
Charles Djou
R
HI-1
David Dreier
R
CA-26
John J. Duncan Jr.
R
TN-2
Vernon J. Ehlers
R
MI-3
Jo Ann Emerson
R
MO-8
Jeff Flake
R
AZ-6
John Fleming
R
LA-4
J. Randy Forbes
R
VA-4
Jeff Fortenberry
R
NE-1
Virginia Foxx
R
NC-5
Trent Franks
R
AZ-2
Elton Gallegly
R
CA-24
Scott Garrett
R
NJ-5
Phil Gingrey
R
GA-11
Louie Gohmert
R
TX-1
Robert W. Goodlatte
R
VA-6
Kay Granger
R
TX-12
Sam Graves
R
MO-6
Tom Graves
R
GA-9
Parker Griffith
R
AL-5
Brett Guthrie
R
KY-2
Ralph M. Hall
R
TX-4
Gregg Harper
R
MS-3
Doc Hastings
R
WA-4
Dean Heller
R
NV-2
Jeb Hensarling
R
TX-5
Wally Herger
R
CA-2
Peter Hoekstra
R
MI-2
Duncan D. Hunter
R
CA-52
Bob Inglis
R
SC-4
Darrell Issa
R
CA-49
Lynn Jenkins
R
KS-2
Sam Johnson
R
TX-3
Timothy V. Johnson
R
IL-15
Jim Jordan
R
OH-4
Steve King
R
IA-5
Jack Kingston
R
GA-1
John Kline
R
MN-2
Steven C. LaTourette
R
OH-14
Doug Lamborn
R
CO-5
Tom Latham
R
IA-4
Robert E. Latta
R
OH-5
Christopher Lee
R
NY-26
Jerry Lewis
R
CA-41
John Linder
R
GA-7
Frank D. Lucas
R
OK-3
Blaine Luetkemeyer
R
MO-9
Cynthia M. Lummis
R
WY-1
Connie Mack
R
FL-14
Donald Manzullo
R
IL-16
Kenny Marchant
R
TX-24
Kevin McCarthy
R
CA-22
Michael McCaul
R
TX-10
Tom McClintock
R
CA-4
Thaddeus McCotter
R
MI-11
Patrick T. McHenry
R
NC-10
Howard P. McKeon
R
CA-25
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
R
WA-5
John L. Mica
R
FL-7
Gary G. Miller
R
CA-42
Jeff Miller
R
FL-1
Jerry Moran
R
KS-1
Sue Myrick
R
NC-9
Randy Neugebauer
R
TX-19
Devin Nunes
R
CA-21
Pete Olson
R
TX-22
Ron Paul
R
TX-14
Erik Paulsen
R
MN-3
Mike Pence
R
IN-6
Tom Petri
R
WI-6
Joe Pitts
R
PA-16
Ted Poe
R
TX-2
Bill Posey
R
FL-15
Tom Price
R
GA-6
Adam H. Putnam
R
FL-12
George P. Radanovich
R
CA-19
Denny Rehberg
R
MT-1
Dave Reichert
R
WA-8
Harold Rogers
R
KY-5
Mike D. Rogers
R
AL-3
Mike Rogers
R
MI-8
Dana Rohrabacher
R
CA-46
Tom Rooney
R
FL-16
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
R
FL-18
Peter Roskam
R
IL-6
Ed Royce
R
CA-40
Paul D. Ryan
R
WI-1
Steve Scalise
R
LA-1
Jean Schmidt
R
OH-2
Aaron Schock
R
IL-18
F. James Sensenbrenner
R
WI-5
Pete Sessions
R
TX-32
John Shadegg
R
AZ-3
John Shimkus
R
IL-19
Bill Shuster
R
PA-9
Mike Simpson
R
ID-2
Adrian Smith
R
NE-3
Lamar Smith
R
TX-21
Cliff Stearns
R
FL-6
John Sullivan
R
OK-1
Lee Terry
R
NE-2
Glenn Thompson
R
PA-5
William M. Thornberry
R
TX-13
Todd Tiahrt
R
KS-4
Pat Tiberi
R
OH-12
Michael R. Turner
R
OH-3
Fred Upton
R
MI-6
Greg Walden
R
OR-2
Zach Wamp
R
TN-3
Lynn Westmoreland
R
GA-3
Edward Whitfield
R
KY-1
Joe Wilson
R
SC-2
Robert J. Wittman
R
VA-1
Frank R. Wolf
R
VA-10
Don Young
R
AK-1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4vcZ20c8Sc