Posted on 12/21/2010 2:55:48 PM PST by Libloather
Bloomberg backs 9/11 benefits bill
Last Updated: Monday, December 20, 2010 | 6:51 PM ET
CBC News
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged the U.S. Congress on Monday to approve a bill to help the police, firefighters and other emergency workers who became ill after working in the area around the World Trade Center towers that collapsed on 9/11.
"Caring for the men and women who rush to our defence on that dark day and on the days that followed is nothing less than a national duty," Bloomberg said during a news conference attended by politicians, police officials and the families of those who have become ill or died.
**SNIP**
But the bill faces opposition in Congress as Republicans have repeatedly blocked the legislation. Some have called it a New York slush fund, while others oppose increasing Washington's already massive deficit of $1.3 trillion US.
Republican Representative Lamar Smith of Texas said: "This is another example of Congress's insatiable appetite for the taxpayer's hard-earned dollars. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...
"You have people that have been waiting for nine years to be compensated," said one responder. "People who haven't worked, who have bills that have gone to collection agencies and so forth, and this bill will help them out. People have lost their homes, they've lost their cars, they've even lost their families because of what's been going on."
"We responded when the call was made and we would do it again in a heart beat, and now we're just asking our government to stand behind us and support us in our hour of need," said another.
Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand believe they have enough Republican support for the bill, now that they've dropped its price tag from $7.4 billion to $6.2 billion.
I guess we still haven’t learned from the Katrina and BP fiascos. The commies build these slush funds to “spread the weatlh” and keep their corruption ball rolling. Just a bunch of free money for the taking. No one is ever held accountable for the fraud and corruption that ALWAYS occurs with these free government money giva-a-ways.
Assuming 5,000 (which is a very large number) first responders are affected, that is $1.4 million per person.
It is said that no one can tell us where all the other money went that was supposed to go to the 9/11 victims or responders. There is no accounting and yet they want to spend more.
(i) was a member of the Fire Department of the City of New York (whether fire or emergency personnel, active or retired) who participated at least one day in the rescue and recovery effort at any of the former World Trade Center sites (including Ground Zero, Staten Island Landfill, and the NYC Chief Medical Examiner's office) for any time during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on July 31, 2002; or
(ii)(I) is a surviving immediate family member of an individual who was a member of the Fire Department of the City of New York (whether fire or emergency personnel, active or retired) and was killed at the World Trade site on September 11, 2001; and
(II) received any treatment for a WTC-related mental health condition described in section 3112(a)(1)(B) on or before September 1, 2008.
(ii)(I) was a member of the Police Department of the City of New York (whether active or retired) or a member of the Port Authority Police of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (whether active or retired) who participated on-site in rescue, recovery, debris clean-up, or related support services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal Street), including Ground Zero, the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge loading piers, for at least 4 hours during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on September 14, 2001;
(II) participated on-site in rescue, recovery, debris clean-up, or related services at Ground Zero, the Staten Island Landfill or the barge loading piers, for at least one day during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on July 31, 2002;
(III) participated on-site in rescue, recovery, debris clean-up, or related services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St.) for at least 24 hours during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on September 30, 2001; or
(IV) participated on-site in rescue, recovery, debris clean-up, or related services in lower Manhattan (south of Canal St.) for at least 80 hours during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on July 31, 2002;
(iii) was an employee of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York involved in the examination and handling of human remains from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, or other morgue worker who performed similar post-September 11 functions for such Office staff, during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on July 31, 2002;
(iv) was a worker in the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation tunnel for at least 24 hours during the period beginning on February 1, 2002, and ending on July 1, 2002; or
(v) was a vehicle-maintenance worker who was exposed to debris from the former World Trade Center while retrieving, driving, cleaning, repairing, or maintaining vehicles contaminated by airborne toxins from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center during a duration and period described in subparagraph (A).
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2644723/posts
It seems to me that they qualify for compensation and disability benefits. Should be straightforward.
Not clear what the need for these additional benefits is.
The bill that would pump $billions out, with ZERO safeguards to prevent rampant fraud and mis-spending? The bill that would reward unions?
I remember clearly the huge sums raised by the American Red Cross specifically for these folks.... where did all that money go?
Need? The UNION that every one of those who would be eligible says they are needed... that's what. And Guido the Union enforcer will be there to break your kneecaps if you ask any more questions...
I feel for these people, I really do, but where does it end? We, as Americans, take care of our own but....and it’s a big BUT.....we can only do so much. We didn’t commit this kind of money to those of Pearl Harbor, to those in our military and their families that put their lives on the line everyday and many other disasters around our country. Our government would do better and probably raise more money is they formally asked for donations and not put our country deeper in debt. This debt will do more harm to the country than it does good for the people that need help.
You nailed it, FlingWingFlyer.
Everything you said is on target.
Haiti us even worse now.
The 9/11 Health and Compensation Act - The bill would also provide funding to researchers who have been studying the long-term health impacts of 9/11.
It would also provide resources for clinics to continue collecting data on long term effects.
__________________ In June, a judge approved a settlement with city officials that could pay up to $713 million to about 10,000 police officers, firefighters and construction workers who had complained of breathing and digestive problems, chronic coughing and thousands of other ailments they say were caused by the toxic air at Ground Zero.
Also, the House is expected to reconsider a bill that would provide free health care and compensation to 9/11 rescue and recovery workers who fell ill after working in the ruins.
In July, the $7.4 billion bill failed to win the two-thirds majority that was needed under the procedure that Democratic leaders used to bring up the bill to block potential amendments. The bill fell short, 255-159. The vote was largely along party lines, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats supporting the measure.
The legislation is named for James Zadroga, a police detective who died at age 34. His supporters say he died from respiratory disease contracted at Ground Zero, but New York City’s medical examiner said Zadroga’s lung condition was caused by prescription drug abuse. 9 Years Later, Nearly 900 9/11 Responders Have Died, Survivors Fight for Compensation
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09/09/report-responders-died-ground-zero-illnesses/
Funding
The bill creates a World Trade Center Health Program Fund to fund the new program. It requires that New York contribute 10% of the cost of the program, and requires that the remaining 90% of the funding be deposited from the federal Treasury into the new fund. The funding would be available for the new health program without specific congressional appropriations.
Specifically, it requires that the following amounts, representing the federal share of 90% of total funding, be deposited into the fund:
* $71 million in the last quarter of FY 2011;
* $318 million in FY 2012;
* $354 million in FY 2013;
* $382 million in FY 2014;
* $431 million in FY 2015;
* $481 million in FY 2016;
* $537 million in FY 2017;
* $601 million in FY 2018;
* $173 million in FY 2019; and
* Up to an additional $499 million in FY 2019 and up to $743 million in FY 2020.
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