Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
The 9/11 health care bill is finally close to passage in Congress, but the Republican delays and filibuster may thwart its passage for this session, further delaying proper health coverage for first responders who answered the call for help during and after the World Trade Center attacks.
Known as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, the bill was initially held up by the Republican filibuster and now by Republican delays in what New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called “a tragic example of partisan politics trumping patriotism.”
Earlier this month, Senate Democrats attempted to begin debates on the $7.4 billion bill with a procedural vote, but they didn’t achieve the 60-vote majority they needed to beat the Republican filibuster. Now the bill is back on the discussion table and Republican delays may prevent the bill’s passage for this session.
The Daily Show’s host Jon Stewart has taken up the cause in an attempt to raise public awareness with hopes that public pressure will motivate Congress to work harder to pass the bill. Multiple Daily Show episodes have addressed the topic, but the Dec. 16 episode especially criticized Congress for delaying the passage of the pivotal bill.
Stewart invited four first responders on the show, each of whom exhibit some form of cancer or respiratory disease as a result of their toxic exposure during and after the attacks. The first responders and Stewart displayed astonishment, frustration and disappointment over Republican use of filibuster and leveraging the passage of the Bush tax cut bill to address the 9/11 health care bill.
When the twin towers collapsed, measurable tons of asbestos fibers were released into the ambient air. This asbestos, along with other toxic chemicals, continued to be stirred up for months following the attacks during the cleaning efforts. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people were exposed to dangerously high levels of asbestos, the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma, immediately after the attacks. Additionally, more than 670,000 New Yorkers living and working in the area may still be at risk of developing environmental illnesses due to asbestos exposure and exposure to other toxic chemicals.
Although it typically takes 20 to 50 years to develop mesothelioma cancer, two first responders were diagnosed with and passed away from mesothelioma. The first was Deborah Reeve, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2004 and died from the cancer in 2006. The second was Robert Oswain, a New York City Police Officer and Ground Zero responder, who died from mesothelioma in May 2010.
Additional information on mesothelioma and current treatment options may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.
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