Introduced in House
Federal Bill Offers $2B for 9/11 Help

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

New York Members of Congress led by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler introduced a bill March 9 that would provide more than $1.9 billion in Federal funding for medical and mental health screening, testing, monitoring, and treatment grants to institutions that provide care to those whose health was affected by the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

JERROLD NADLER: 'A Federal obligation.'

The 9/11 Heroes Health Improvement Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Eliot Engel, Edolphus Towns and Anthony Weiner, mirrors similar legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate by Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, as well as New Jersey's Bob Menendez and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Where Funds Would Go

Mr. Nadler's legislation would provide expanded funding for institutions such as the WTC Medical Monitoring Program at Mount Sinai, the WTC Environmental Health Center at Bellevue Hospital, and the Fire Department's WTC Medical Screening and Treatment Program.

According to a recent report released by a team of city experts appointed by Mayor Bloomberg, 9/11 health-care costs have already topped an estimated $2 billion and existing treatment and screening programs would require at least $150 million a year for the immediate future. The report also estimated that the affected population is due to increase to 681,000, a 10-fold jump from the currently treated population, due primarily to late-onset disease.

"The Federal Government is, in part, responsible for the 9/11 health crisis and has an absolute duty to provide health care for those who become sick," said Congressman Nadler.

President Bush recently committed to a $25 million "placeholder" in his Federal budget, but testimony at a hearing last week by the White House's top 9/11 health official, Dr. John Agwonobi, raised questions about what actually would be provided.

Many Left Out

Dr. Agwonobi said the Bush Administration had made little progress toward a comprehensive approach to 9/11 health, and that solutions currently being contemplated would not include residents, non-first responder workers, or school children.

"It is unconscionable that five years later, this administration has still failed to take responsibility for the harm they did when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lied about the air quality at Ground Zero," said Congressman Nadler. "The fact that they have made no visible progress on providing a comprehensive 9/11 health solution and are even possibly discussing the notion of cutting current funding is an outrage."

Congressman Nadler also recently re-introduced his 9/11 Comprehensive Health Benefits Act, a bill that would provide a framework for a longer-term, comprehensive solution to the 9/11 health crisis. Via the Medicare program, 9/11-affected individuals would be entitled to high-quality health-care coverage for all of their 9/11-related illnesses, with no out-of-pocket costs. It would also establish a coordinating body of experts to maintain standards of care and coordinate research.