New York Lawmakers Urge Congress To Renew Fund For 9/11 First Responders

Comedian Stewart appears with Senator Gillibrand at a rally in September calling for renewal of the Zadroga Act

At a rally featuring speeches by nearly a dozen lawmakers, the loudest message of all was delivered by a 9-year-old boy who didn’t say a word.
Jack McNamara, a fourth grader, held a sign that read “Don’t let other dads die!!!

I miss my Dad, FDNY Firefighter John F McNamara,” words that were surrounded by hearts, American flags and a call for a fully funded renewal of the Zadroga Act, legislation that provides health benefits for first responders who grew ill after the September 11 terror attacks.

Firefighter John F McNamara spent about 500 hours at Ground Zero looking for his fallen brethren. He died in 2009 after suffering from colon cancer. He was 44. 

The World Trade Center Health Program, which provides health monitoring and treatment for first responders, expired this fall but has enough funding to operate into next year. The victim’s compensation fund expires on 1 October.

“This is not a random health epidemic,” said Democratic senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who stood with other New York elected officials Sunday at a rally near the new One World Trade Center. “This is a group of men and women dying because they chose to serve on 9/11. Those chose to do the right thing. They sacrificed for us.”

The Zadroga Act, named after a responder who died after working at Ground Zero, first became law in 2010 after a debate over the bill’s cost. Proponents are seeking the law’s permanent extension in part because some illnesses may not manifest until years later, after the statute of limitations for worker’s compensation or certain state laws may have run out.

House and Senate Republicans have generally been supportive of the program but have opposed its permanent extension due to concerns about its cost – approximately $7bn – and because they say they want the chance to periodically review it.

At a rally in Washington in September, Jon Stewart attempted to use his star power to shame Congress into permanently renewing the Zadroga Act.

“I’m embarrassed,” Stewart said at the time. “I’m embarrassed for our country. I’m embarrassed for New York, I’m embarrassed that you, after serving so selflessly with such heroism, have to come down here and convince people to do what’s right for the illnesses and difficulties that you suffered because of your heroism and because of your selflessness.”