Thread: Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers

Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers

By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Published: December 9, 2010

WASHINGTON — Republican senators blocked Democratic legislation on Thursday that sought to provide medical care to rescue workers and residents of New York City who became ill as a result of breathing in toxic fumes, dust and smoke from ground zero.

The 9/11 health bill, a version of which was approved by the House of Representatives in September, is among a handful of initiatives that Senate Democrats had been hoping to approve this year before the close of the 111th Congress. Supporters believe this is their last real opportunity to have the bill passed.

The Senate action created huge uncertainty over the future of the bill. Its proponents were scrambling on Thursday to have the legislation inserted into a large tax-cut bill that Republicans and Democrats are attempting to pass before Congress ends it current session later this month.

But whether that happens is in part up to Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader. The bill’s backers are counting on Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, a top Reid deputy and a supporter of the bill, to persuade Mr. Reid to go along with that idea.

Such a move might complicate passage of the tax-cut package, which includes another provision that Democrats, including President Obama, sought in return for supporting tax cuts Republicans wanted: an extension of unemployment benefits for jobless Americans.

In a vote largely along party lines, the Senate rejected a procedural move by Democrats to end debate on the 9/11 health bill and bring it to an up-or-down vote; 60 yes votes were needed, but the move received only 57, with 42 votes against.

Republicans have been raising concerns about how to pay for the $7.4 billion measure, while Democrats, led by Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York, have argued that the nation had a moral obligation to assist those who put their lives at risk during rescue operations at ground zero.

The bill is known formally as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named after a New York City Police Department detective who participated in the rescue efforts at ground zero. He later developed breathing complications that were common to first responders at the site, and he eventually died in January 2006.

After the vote, Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, a chief sponsor of the bill in the House, urged Senate Democrats to include the 9/11 health bill in the larger tax-cut legislation to, in effect, dare Republicans to oppose it in that context.

“The Zadroga Act must be added to the tax cut bill, which is the one measure the Senate Republicans won’t leave this town without passing,â€

Oh for crying out loud. Do you mean to tell me that the hospitals and doctors in New York City, all those not-for-profit 501 C 3's all over the damn place that treat illegal aliens for free, won't set aside a few minutes every few months to monitor these workers and residents and provide them with the treatment they need to deal with their illnesses as part of your charity organization? What kind of people are you? Forcing these sick people to run to the Congress and beg for money from the federal government which is already broke, to help treat their 9/11 related illnesses??!!

We're broke. It's time for those who live in New York City with all the bankers and Wall Street tycoons to start helping their fellow residents. Maybe Bloomberg can use his staff that runs all over the city looking for smokers, salt and transfat, to help these 9/11 victims get the help they need. Maybe the Catholic Diocese of New York that seems to have plenty of money to run all over the place aiding and abetting illegal aliens might want to stop breaking our laws and use its 501 C 3 tax-exempt contributions to help these 9/11 victims.

OR, how about we deauthorize, defund and make defunct the TSA which costs us $7 billion a year to peep, rub and grope and give that to the 9/11 victims.

You stupid Congresscritters who want to suck up to everyone with their next big idea for a hand out, STOP IT, JUST STOP IT.

We're broke. That means we have no money. Now run along and go get your paws into someone else's coffers, an insurance company, a charity hospital, or how about Saudi Arabia? After all most of the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. They've certainly got $7 billion to spare.

Whatever you decide, leave US taxpayers out of it. We aren't responsible for it. We didn't cause it, we didn't do it, and we sure as hell aren't liable for it. We've already paid out tens upon tens of billions of dollars for 9/11 consequences. We're done.

They have to save OUR tax dollars for their precious illegals.

....ya pissed off yet, America?

Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers

[b]"and at the same time Republicans are demanding a $700 billion tax break for the wealthy, millionaires and billionaires,â€

those people have like 10 million dollars each and they just got another settlement from the state of N.Y. Geesh. how much more do these people want?

Originally Posted by Creoleguy32

those people have like 10 million dollars each and they just got another settlement from the state of N.Y. Geesh. how much more do these people want?

Exactly.

If you read the whole article this Bill does alot more then monitor workers heath and infact it looks like a cash cow to continue and rip off taxpayers .

Yes most Americans deeply care about those who actually did suffer but 60,000 and growing makes me wonder who else is getting in on the gravey train.

Another Pigford it seems.

[quote="JohnDoe2"]Republicans Block U.S. Health Aid for 9/11 Workers

[b]"and at the same time Republicans are demanding a $700 billion tax break for the wealthy, millionaires and billionaires,â€

The bill is known formally as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named after a New York City Police Department detective who participated in the rescue efforts at ground zero. He later developed breathing complications that were common to first responders at the site, and he eventually died in January 2006.

Now tell me why a member of a New York City Police Department wasn't covered for his medical treatment through his employer's health insurance and wasn't compensated for economic loss through workman's compensation?

We have laws, we have rules, we have guidelines, we have programs that take care of injury on the job, so why is this bill named after someone who wouldn't have even been qualified for the aid since he was already covered and compensated?

Most of the first responders were employees of the City of New York, the state of New York, the federal government and other companies and rescue and constructions organizations and they should have been and I'm sure were covered by employer insurance and workman's compensation like any other worker who gets involved in construction, demolition, clean-up and potentially hazardous activities.

So I don't see any legitimate purpose to any of these lawsuits, settlements, or otherwise for 9/11 victims who were on the job, and as for US taxpayers, we aren't responsible. Period. The gravy train over the tragedy of 9/11 has to end. They've miked the cow dry. It's over.

Go hunt down the governments, funders and Muslims responsible for this disaster and sue them. They did it. How courts, lawyers and Congresscritters can maneuver around the truth and hold 100% innocent US taxpayers responsible for something they had absolutely nothing to do while wailing for a Mosque at Ground Zero, blows the mind.

We're done with spending money on 9/11. Done.

Billionaire Warren Buffett said that rich people should pay more in taxes and that Bush-era tax cuts for top earners should be allowed to expire at the end of December.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-2 ... taxes.html