Washington, DC – Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) today introduced legislation, the 9/11 Heroes Health Improvement Act of 2006, to provide $1.9 billion in medical and mental health monitoring and treatment grants, available from 2007-2011, to firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, building and construction trades workers, volunteers, residents, and others whose health was directly impacted at Ground Zero and Fresh Kills as well as those who responded to the Pentagon attack. This funding would be administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and would expand access to health monitoring and health care to all of those who served, lived and worked in the area in the aftermath of 9/11. Senator Clinton previously introduced a similar measure as an amendment to the Port Security bill but the Republican Senate leadership refused to allow a vote on the amendment.

"I will continue to fight for this funding because I believe we have a moral obligation as a nation to help those whose health was affected by 9/11. I have continually sounded the alarm that those who breathed the toxic air around Ground Zero in the days, weeks and months after 9/11 would suffer health effects and now our worst fears are being realized. I am working on all fronts with my colleagues to make sure that those suffering get the help they need and deserve,” said Senator Clinton.

“Every day, we learn of another 9/11 first responder being stricken with this terrible illness,” Schumer said. “The ones who made it home safely now, five years later, have leaned that their lives may still be in danger and it is not the time to abandon the thousands that gave so much following that terrible day. Current programs and resources are not nearly enough to meet the growing need. The federal government must step up to the plate and ensure that our heroes receive the medical care they earned and deserve.”

“The heroes of 9/11 deserve nothing less than our full support, yet sadly they’ve gotten too many empty promises from this Congress and the Administration. Our legislation will see that the brave Americans who rescued the victims of the terrorist attacks and helped rebuild our communities will get the health care they need to cope with the illnesses they face. They selflessly risked their lives for us, so this bill is the least we can do for them,” said Senator Kennedy.

A report released this month by Mt. Sinai shows conclusively that thousands of first responders, workers, volunteers, residents and others suffered mental and medical health problems as a direct result of 9/11. This report confirms the need to expand access to health monitoring and treatment to cover all of those whose health was affected by 9/11.

The 9/11 Heroes Health Improvement Act of 2006 is under the jurisdiction of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on which Senator Clinton is a member and Senator Kennedy serves as Ranking member. Earlier this week, Senators Clinton and Kennedy wrote to Senator Mike Enzi, Chairman of the HELP Committee, and called on him to set a time for a hearing on 9/11 health effects and to mark-up legislation authorizing grants for ongoing medical and mental health monitoring and treatment.

###