Legislation to establish health-treatment and -monitoring programs for World Trade Center responders was defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives, falling 21 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage.

Congress first established screening, treatment and compensation programs for 9/11 responders shortly after the terrorist attacks, and has continued to provide funding for the programs each year since. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (H.R. 847) would have expanded coverage to include those who lived near Ground Zero, made the program an entitlement program so that it is not subject to annual appropriations, and reopened the Victims Compensation Fund so that people who became ill after the fund was closed in 2003 could receive compensation.

Opposition stemmed from creation of a new entitlement program to concerns over funding. The program would be paid for by closing a tax loophole used by foreign corporations incorporated in off-shore tax havens from avoiding taxes on income earned in the United States.


Source: IAFF