Congress Finds Enough Money for Ukraine, But Not For 9/11 First Responders?

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Yesterday, President Biden and the American individuals paid tribute to the occasions that occurred 21 years in the past in New York Metropolis, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Patriot Day marks the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist assaults that perpetually modified how we considered our safety and gave start to a technology of veterans who fought what grew to become generally known as The Perpetually Struggle in Afghanistan.

On that day, 21 years in the past, heroes have been born. Legends have been made as firefighters, cops, retired first responders, emergency well being providers, and on a regular basis civilians bumped into the fireplace to assist rescue their fellow Individuals. Within the days after, these heroes stayed behind to assist with the restoration effort in hopes of discovering survivors and preserving proof for future justice and historical past.

This heroism got here with a hefty value. Annually, increasingly Individuals who have been at floor zero throughout these days are coming down with numerous sicknesses, together with cancers. As Individuals and politicians put up photos and provides speeches vowing By no means to Neglect, the shortly depleting healthcare fund for these 9/11 responders is going through potential extinction.

RELATED: Dealing With Tough Times? Too Bad: Biden Is Sending Another $12 Billion to Ukraine

By no means Neglect?

Congress arrange what is named the World Commerce Heart Well being Program to cowl the medical care that may come up for first responders who had been at floor zero the day of and the next weeks with the restoration effort. These heroes inhaled incredibly toxic fumes and have been round toxic supplies which have considerably negatively impacted their well being.

At the moment, there’s a $3 billion deficit for this system. If the funding isn’t discovered, the WTC Well being Program can be unable to tackle any new members beginning as early as October 2024. Since every particular person’s response to the poisonous fumes and supplies is totally different, this poses a big downside. Those that don’t have well being points right this moment might very nicely develop well being points associated to their service at floor zero years from now.

We’ve misplaced extra to the 9/11-related sicknesses than we did on the day of the assault. Final yr the Department of Justice confirmed this reality stating that because the terrorist assault, which killed 2,977 individuals, we’ve 3,300 Individuals who died from Floor Zero health-related points.

What Will It Take?

It’s unbelievable to me that that is even a difficulty. However sadly, it hasn’t been the primary time funding appeared to run low within the WTC Well being Program. Last year comic and former Every day Present host Jon Stewart eviscerated Congress for not caring sufficient to make sure well being advantages have been supplied to 9/11 responders and victims.

Maybe identical to with the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act which gives medical look after veterans affected by burn pits, Jon Stewart might want to make his approach again to D.C. to remind Congress what they have been supposed By no means to Neglect.

As New York Representative Carolyn Maloney stated not too long ago:

“We must always not must have these women and men come again to Washington and stroll the halls of Congress as they’ve repeatedly carried out to be sure that Congress does its job.”

I couldn’t agree extra, however sadly, plainly forcing these Individuals to beg for the profit they have been promised is what it’ll take every time to safe funding.

RELATED: 21 Years After 9/11 : It’s Time We Remember What Americans Vowed To Never Forget

Funding Is Not The Solely Downside

As with most issues the federal government touches, funding isn’t the one downside with the healthcare program. Nonetheless, for first responders and victims nonetheless residing in New York, discovering medical care for his or her 9/11-related points is comparatively simple.

Nonetheless, not everybody that helped that day was from New York, and never everybody determined to remain in New York. For individuals who got here from different states or opted to maneuver to a different state, healthcare has run into a number of snags over time. 

These Individuals must undergo an middleman that acts as a intermediary between the 9/11 neighborhood outdoors of New York and their well being advantages. That middleman was Logistics Well being Inc., which grew to become Managed Care Advisors and OptumServe.

Reports have surfaced from sufferers that this system has did not pay their medical payments and supplied insufficient remedy choices for these eligible for the WTC healthcare program. This comes as no shock for these of us veterans who’ve needed to depend on the Veterans Administration (VA) for our well being care wants.

RELATED: Video Of Atlanta VA Clinic Employee Mercilessly Beating Vietnam Veteran Is Latest In Horrific VA Abuses

A Drop In The Bucket

Whereas $3 billion does appear to be a hefty chunk of change, it pales compared to a number of the funding we’ve supplied not too long ago to different packages and initiatives. For instance, one solely has to take a look at the funding supplied to Ukraine to surprise why Congress is struggling to discover a measly $3 billion.

This year alone, we’ve supplied more cash to Ukraine than to Afghanistan, Israel, and Egypt mixed in 2020. And the full is tough to nail down, to be sincere. Only recently, we devoted one other $2.2 billion and $3 billion earlier than that, apart from the bigger packages that included a $12.9 billion support package deal.

Nonetheless, it’s not simply cash we ship outdoors the nation that doesn’t appear to trigger Congress to pause. For instance, the student loan bailout is estimated to price upwards of $519 billion. 

So why is it so tough to search out $3 billion for Individuals dying from 9/11-related sicknesses? Maybe we’ve forgotten what we owe these heroes.

No Cash And No Justice

New Jersey Representative Frank Pallone has warned:

“If Congress doesn’t shortly deal with this impending disaster, then the women and men who put their lives on the road and who survived the 9/11 terrorist assaults will lose well being protection to deal with the bodily and psychological sicknesses that they sustained that fateful day.”

As if going through potential crippling medical payments that have been promised to be coated isn’t sufficient, indicators point out that the following technology of Individuals don’t know what they’re speculated to always remember. Little surprise why, on condition that solely 14 states at the moment require college students to find out about 9/11. 

And the cherry on high? Navy prosecutors are negotiating a potential plea deal with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, probably saving him from going through a jury and the dying penalty.

It’s not simply cash that’s scarce for the 9/11 neighborhood; it might seem we’re working low on justice as nicely.

Now could be the time to help and share the sources you belief.
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