[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 137 (Monday, September 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE 9/11 HEALTH AND COMPENSATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 17, 2007

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, today, with my good friends 
Representatives Nadler, Fossella and 44 other original cosponsors, I am 
pleased to introduce the comprehensive, bipartisan 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act, to finally provide health care and compensation to 
the heroes and heroines of 9/11.
  The collapse of the World Trade Center towers took nearly three 
thousand lives in an instant and released a massive cloud of asbestos, 
pulverized concrete, and other poisons. To those toxins, we now know 
that thousands more have lost their health.
  Now 6 years later, more than 6,500 responders--truly the heroes and 
heroines of 9/11--are being treated for 9/11-related health problems 
through the federally-funded World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and 
Treatment program, and more than 4,500 have been referred for mental 
health care, often for conditions like post traumatic stress syndrome. 
Every month, another 500-1000 responders sign up for health monitoring, 
and those coming in are more sick than ever before.
  Separately, more than 70,000 Americans reported to the World Trade 
Center Health Registry. While most are from New York, New Jersey or 
Connecticut, more than 10,000 Americans from outside the Tri-State area 
have also registered. Amazingly, every single state has someone in the 
World Trade Center registry. This is a health emergency on a national 
scale and it requires a strong federal response.
  Last Saturday, I joined New York AFL-CIO President Dennis Hughes, and 
Representative Nadler and Fossella at a labor rally at Ground Zero to 
announce the bill we are introducing today. The 9/11 Health and 
Compensation Act will ensure that everyone exposed to the Ground Zero 
toxins has a right to be medically monitored and all who are sick as a 
result have a right to treatment. It will build on the expertise of the 
Centers of Excellence, which are currently providing high-quality care 
to thousands of responders and ensuring on-going data collection and 
analysis. Expanding care to the entire exposed community, the bill also 
includes care for area residents, workers, and school children as well 
as the thousands of people that came from across the country to assist 
with the recovery and clean-up efforts. Finally, the bill provides 
compensation for economic damages and loss by reopening the September 
11 Victims Compensation Fund.
  I thank Chairman Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on 
Health for holding an important hearing tomorrow on answering the call 
to provide medical monitoring and treatment to World Trade Center 
responders. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Energy 
and Commerce Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the leadership as 
we move this important legislation forward. It is critical that we show 
our first responders that, after rushing in to serve New York and the 
Nation in a time of great disaster, we will not desert them in their 
time of need. It is the least we can do, as a grateful Nation.

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