WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) charged Wednesday that if lawmakers can’t renew health treatment funding for 9/11 first responders and survivors before it expires, they might as well give up on Congress completely.
First responders and survivors from the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, walked the halls of the Capitol Wednesday with comedian Jon Stewart to pressure lawmakers to renew the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The legislation expires on Oct. 3.
“If Congress can’t come together and help the first responders who are ill because they rushed to the towers, then we may as well forget this place altogether,” Schumer said.
The new bill would make aid for first responders permanent, preventing any lapse in care. Some 33,000 injured and ill responders have at least one 9/11-linked condition, and nearly all of them sought treatment through the program last year. Out of that group, 3,700 people have a 9/11-linked cancer.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is expected to meet with the first responders, said the committees with jurisdiction over the program in both the House and Senate are working on the details of the legislation.
“We do plan to extend the program,” McConnell said.
Schumer praised McConnell’s intent to extend the program as “great news at last.”
“This is really a very bright glimmer of hope on something so important to thousands who are dying of cancers and other diseases,” Schumer added.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the Senate should include the renewal of the program in a continuing resolution to fund the government, which Congress is expected to move on before the end of this month. He stopped short, however of threatening to block a CR if it didn’t include the aid for first responders.