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Health care for 9/11 workers is added
White House in budget standoff with Democrats has threatened to veto measure
The Associated Press

    WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and New York area lawmakers have added $109 million in health care for sick ground zero workers as part of a massive spending bill that faces an uncertain future in a budget standoff between Democrats and the White House.
    The money for treatment of ground zero workers — double the amount provided in an earlier emergency spending bill — was wrapped into a $500-billion-plus spending bill that the Democratic Congress is working on. The White House has already threatened to veto it.
    As a senator, Clinton has pushed for years for the government to provide a long-term health care program for those sickened from their work at the toxic World Trade Center debris pile following the 2001 terrorist attacks. As a presidential candidate, she has highlighted her work on the issue.
    “Today’s announcement marks another step toward addressing those enduring wounds,” Clinton said in a statement. Her office was the first to release details of the funding increase.
    The new spending was pushed by lawmakers from New York and New Jersey.
    The prior year’s budget provided $50 million to help maintain such health programs, most of which are based in the New York City area.
    The White House on Saturday threatened to veto the spending package, saying it’s unacceptable to add billions of dollars to domestic programs.
    The White House has not seen details of the measure, which senior Democrats are crafting behind closed doors.
    The bill contains $11 billion above President Bush’s February budget, awarding the money to domestic programs such as education and health research. It also may contain several billion dollars in emergency funding for border security, foreign aid, drought relief and a food program for women and children.
    The Democratic measure would roll together 11 spending bills funding every Cabinet agency except the Defense Department, whose $459 billion budget bill passed last month. The $11 billion increase pushed by Democrats would split the difference between the increases contained in Democrats’ original spending bills and the level sought by Bush.
    Clinton urged the president not to follow through on his veto threat.
    “The New Yorkers and the responders from across the country who came to our aid have suffered enough without being caught in the middle of a political squabble,” she said.     

What happens to the rest of the workers around the country who are 'cleaning up' asbestos, radioactive dumps, mercury etc......I'm sure those hired by GE to 'clean up' after their loose practices of the past boom-time in Schenectady are 'properly' compensated.....

I'm glad they cleaned up NYC.......

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Quoted Text

Lawmakers call on Bush to fund 9/11 health care
BY KAREN MATTHEWS The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — Lawmakers and World Trade Center health advocates said that President Bush should promise in his State of the Union Address tonight to fund programs to treat sick ground zero workers.
    “We know the president is going to talk about homeland security,” Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Manhattan Democrat, said on Sunday. “He’s going to talk about the war against terror. But let me tell you something he’s not probably going to say. He’s not going to say that he’s going to provide health care to the men and women who rushed in to save the lives of others.”
    The advocates were angered last month when the government halted an attempt to organize health monitoring for ground zero workers spread across the country, saying the program could cost far more money than Congress has provided.
    The Department of Health and Human Services canceled the effort to hire a company to create a “processing center” for medical screening of those who worked on the toxic rubble of the trade center after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
    “I’m outraged that we have to be here today to say yet again that the Bush administration is yet again betraying the heroes of 9/11,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat whose district includes the trade center site. “I am outraged that they suddenly canceled a request for proposals to provide medical care to the thousands of brave Americans who came to ground zero from all across the country after the collapse of the World Trade Center.”
    Sean Kevelighan, a spokesman for the White House budget offi ce, said, “The president’s final budget will be released a week from Monday and it will reflect his continued commitment to World Trade Center workers.” He said he could not provide details.
    John Feal, a demolition supervisor who lost part of a foot at ground zero, said, “I am sick and I am disgusted that we’re out here in the cold begging for help.”
    The canceled contract had aimed to organize and improve various Sept. 11 health programs and provide pharmacy benefits. Health officials feared the work could cost as much as $165 million, compared to the $52 million Congress provided.

Quoted Text

John Feal, a demolition supervisor who lost part of a foot at ground zero, said, “I am sick and I am disgusted that we’re out here in the cold begging for help.”

Is he part of a union???---if he is he should ask what----SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL......