Senators Seek Funds For Sick 9/11 Workers

Bill Would Provide $12 Billion In Medical Care For Workers Exposed To Toxic Dust At WTC Site

(CBS/AP)  New York and New Jersey lawmakers are asking Congress to provide $12 billion in long-term medical care and monitoring to thousands of Sept. 11 workers who became sick after being exposed to toxic dust and debris at the World Trade Center site.

The bill, introduced Wednesday in the Senate, would reopen until 2031 a compensation fund for those who became ill after a 2003 deadline. It also would expand research of their illnesses and extend medical care to ailing workers who live outside of New York.

"We have an undeniable, morale obligation to provide them with health and treatment they deserve," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., at a Capitol Hill news conference attended by Sept. 11 workers and other New York and New Jersey lawmakers.

Nearly 16,000 responders and 2,700 community members are sick and receiving treatment, Gillibrand said.

Similar legislation failed last year, partly because New York City officials objected to paying a share of the costs. Under the senators' plan, the cost to New York would not exceed $250 million over a decade, which is half of what it would have paid over that period under legislation that was rejected last year.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who attended the press conference, said he supports the legislation, but still has concerns about the cost to the city.

"This is an attack against the entire country," Bloomberg said. "I think it's a national problem."

Other legislation has been proposed in the House. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said she's confident it will be passed by the upcoming eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The bill was named for James Zadroga, a retired city detective who became ill after working hundreds of hours at ground zero. Zadroga, who died of lung disease at 34 in 2006, was declared killed in the line of duty by the NYPD. But the city medical examiner's office ruled that Zadroga's abuse of prescription drugs exacerbated his lung disease and declined to list him as an official Sept. 11 victim.

Despite the medical examiner's ruling, the city's former medical examiner, Dr. Michael Baden, disputed the claim. Baden told CBSNews.com in 2007 that Zadroga's death was indeed linked to his exposure to the toxic debris at ground zero.

"There's no evidence of any drug addiction," Baden said, who added that all the evidence supports that Zadroga "died of chronic lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust" at the ground zero site.

[sean58z]

The Department of Health (and Human Services) is required by federal law to provide for those stricken with serious illness after a disaster. The Department of Homeland Security should enforce the granting process. Why allow OPEC and international terror organizations to demoralize this country after the 9/11 tragedy? FEMA's neglect only proves the worthlessness of George W. Bush's promise to America at the WTC collapse.

[CMancos]

What a crock to say he died of drug abuse. Let's see the guy was dying because of his lungs and taking perscription pain killers, I don't care if he did abuse his pain medication, maybe if he wasn't dying he wouldn't have done that. HOW BOUT THAT? Bloomberg is trying to pass the cost to the Federal government, just another case of passing the buck around until everyone involved dies . It's sad, when the government can force tax payers to foot the bill for millions of illegals but refuse to take care of their own people. This has been going on for a very long time.

[stn_sage]

The Federal Government should NOT pay any monies to such a fund!

The State and Federal Governments should have provided adequate protection
to begin with!

IF the Fed does, clearly the State MUST pay a portion of it!

This is where holding the prior administration would certainly help out!

Ask Donald Rumsfeld to "fork over" some of that 2.3 trillion dollars that went missing 'on his watch' at the Defense Department!

Heck, he probably built a new house and used some of it to insulate the whole house instead of fiber or 'poly-blow'!

Shake some of these people down, hold them responsible, and pay for it that way! But, NO NEW DEBT!

[nofoolling]

Funny (in a tragic sense) how if you expose workers to thermite, the toxic explosive used to demolish the twin-towers on 911, you'll have a bunch of sick people.

It's high time we held a real investigation of how the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate pulled these demolitions off.