Politicians constantly urge us to never forget the victims of 9/11.
Yet the EPA lied to the heroic first responders and told them that the dust at Ground Zero was safe, when it was actually laced with a witches brew of cancer-causing chemicals which are now crippling or killing them off.
And now Congress is slashing medical care to the first responders. As Michael McAuliff notes:
Lawmakers [turned their backs on the first responders] in the budget sequester legislation Congress passed last summer to try and cut the deficit.
The sequester set up automatic budget cuts of some $1.2 trillion over 10 years, and legislators were careful to spare veterans from most of those, recognizing their sacrifices in the war on terror. But apparently no one remembered to also exempt 9/11 responders and others who first answered the call after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that started that war.
And now the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act that President Barack Obama signed on Jan. 2, 2011, faces $38-million worth of cuts in 2013 alone if the sequester is not avoided, and could lose something approaching $300 million over the current planned life of the program.
The House on Wednesday approved legislation to provide billions of dollars for medical treatment to rescue workers and residents of New York City who suffered illnesses from breathing in toxic fumes, dust and smoke at ground zero.
The vote was 268 to 160, with 13 Republicans joining Democrats in support of the bill. Republicans raised concerns about the $7.4 billion cost of the program.
Ground Zero workers settlement unfair: judge
By Agence France-Presse
Friday, March 19th, 2010 -- 6:11 pm
NEW YORK (AFP) – A proposed 657-million-dollar health settlement for some 10,000 people who worked at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks was too low and must be renegotiated, a judge ruled Friday.
"In my judgment, this settlement is not enough," federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein said in New York after hearing two hours of testimony from plaintiffs in the huge case.
"There are some questions that have to be addressed," he added, calling for "additional negotiations to come up with a fair deal."
Tuesday January 29, 2008
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Joint Economic Committee Vice Chair, Tells C-SPAN's Washington Journal Audience About The National Scandal Of Not Providing Sick And Dying 9/11 Heroes Healthcare
* source = http://www.c-span.org
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