I usually don’t talk much about my political views or opinions on here, because I am not that blogger. But, this is one issue that I feel very strongly about. That our law makers in Washington took almost 10 years to pass a law to help the first responders to the 9/11 terrorist attack with their service related medical care is such an injustice.
Congress approved a $4.2 billion spending package Wednesday to aid rescue workers who have suffered ill health from working at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. While I think it is wonderful that they finally put aside whatever it was that was keeping this from passing, it is so very sad to me that these men and women have had to suffer and die because they couldn’t get the medical care they needed.
The problem is that when these people have asked for help through the agencies they worked with, it was treated as a workmen’s comp claim. They typically have been out of work and getting workmen’s compensation payments, until those claims were exhausted, at which point they were terminated from their jobs because they were unable to return to work. These people are sick because they breathed in all the dust and fumes from the burning building–who knows what all they ingested into their bodies! Some estimates say there are about 16,000 responders and 2,700 people living near Ground Zero who are now sick and receiving treatment, as well as about 40,000 more whose health is being monitored.
Those brave people had no second thoughts to prevent them from rushing to respond and help when the World Trade Center was attacked. They responded to an attack on our country! Maybe I should say “thank you, Washington” for finally doing the right thing, but I would rather save my thank yous for those who actually put their lives on the line that day. They deserve far better treatment than this.
Here, here!
Amen!