By Scott R. Axelrod
Staten Island Advance
NEW YORK — A decision by legislators to remove health care funding for first responders suffering from 9/11-related illness from the federal budget has members of the city’s firefighters’ unions fired up, the Daily News is reporting.
“The one thing we were able to fall back on was people wouldn’t forget, and they would always stand beside us,” James Brosi, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, said Sunday. “Unfortunately, twenty-some-odd years later, people are starting to forget. It is unimaginable that we would have to come down here and ask Congress to do the right thing.”
Congress passed a stopgap bill to fund the government Friday after two failed votes by the House of Representatives, but removed legislation that would have fully funded the World Trade Center Health Program through 2040, the report said.
“Part of what was left on the table was the bill that would provide the health care and the compensation for the sick and dying New York City firefighters, police officers, and first responders and civilians that were affected by what happened down there,” said Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro during a press conference held at in front of Engine Co. 10/ Ladder Co. 10, across the street from the World Trade Center.
The World Trade Center Health Program was established in 2011 as part of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. It was extended until 2090 as more people began to be diagnosed with 9/11-related illnesses. As of September, more than 130,000 first responders and survivors have enrolled in the program, the report said.
“The incoming politicians and those returning were given a mandate to make America great again,” Ansbro said. “We know that you cannot make America great again if you leave behind those that are sick and those that are dying that answered the call on 9/11.”
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