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Ridgewood NJ, It’s been almost 18 years since the tragic terror attacks of September 11th, but thousands of people in the tri-state area are still living with effects from that day. There have been over 9,000 cancer diagnoses due to exposure to toxins during the rescue and clean-up efforts at Ground Zero.
Continue reading Firefighters and First Responders Converge on DC in Support of the Zadroga Act
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GLEN ROCK, NJ — Today, Congressman Gottheimer released the following statement on news that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) would begin cutting future awards.
“It’s completely unacceptable that the United States would abandon those that protected us in our darkest hour. We have a solemn duty to care for every single person, like Detective Zadroga, who was called to duty after 9/11,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Act which will fully fund and extend the VCF established by the Zadroga Act. I will always stand with 9/11 victims and their families and I will never stop fighting for them. They were heroes who stood up against terror and stood by our heroes.”
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Ridgewood NJ, In response to misrepresentations of Congressman Garrett’s record, specifically on the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, Garrett for Congress released the following fact check to clarify these falsehoods. Congressman Garrett voted for the legislation that first established the program and was a cosponsor of its reauthorization. He clearly supports the program, and clearly opposes its politicization – like when the legislation has been attached to unrelated tax increases or bloated spending bills. Additionally, many leaders in the Fifth District community are standing strong with Congressman Garrett, as seen by their statements below.
Robert Knapp, former Oakland Volunteer Fire Department Chief: “The community of Oakland is only a short car ride from New York City, and our residents remember both the heroism and the losses of September 11, 2001. In the days following the 9/11 attacks, I went to Ground Zero to lend my support. I saw the devastation and destruction first hand. Our residents also remember the advocates for our community in the aftermath – one of whom is Congressman Scott Garrett. Scott has fought for our First Responders and he has opposed efforts to politicize their struggles. Just as they stand strong in the face of adversity, we know we can rely on Scott to stand strong for them in the face of political pressure.”
Assemblyman Parker Space, former Wantage Fire Department Chief: “Scott Garrett is a champion for the brave men and women in uniform that serve the Fifth District. Any suggestion otherwise is a shameful smear manufactured to score cheap political points. I’ve known Scott for years and have personally witnessed his public service and dedication to our community’s First Responders. As a third generation firefighter, I’m deeply offended by the lies cooked up by some Washington, DC political operatives in a ploy to obscure the truth here in New Jersey.”
Freeholder Carl Lazarro: “After the horrible attacks of 9/11, thousands of firefighters, police officers and others have been out of work because of the illnesses they suffer as a result of their heroic sacrifices. Congressman Scott Garrett has been a vocal supporter of the Victims Compensation Fund established by the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, and actively fought to have the program reauthorized. He has continually demonstrated his commitment to our First Responders and I am proud to stand beside him.”
Zadroga Fact Check
FACT: Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act bill in 2007 to provide compensation and treatment to workers who had been affected by the cleanup. This was a bipartisan piece of legislation, and solely addressed the needs of those affected by the 9/11 cleanup. Congressman Garrett was a cosponsor of this legislation.
FACT: Congressman Garrett again cosponsored the bill when it was reintroduced in 2009. Up through this, it was still a bipartisan effort and many were working together to find ways to pay for this program.
FACT: Democrats politicize the Zadroga Act by attaching it to a tax increase. Congressman Garrett voted against this legislation, outraged at this manipulation of the legislation.
FACT: Congressman Garrett voted for final passage of the Zadroga Act after the tax increases were removed by a Senate amendment. This legislation was then signed into law.
FACT: Reauthorization of the Zadroga Act was introduced in mid-April 2015. Congressman Garrett was again a cosponsor of this legislation.
FACT: Congressman Garrett wrote a letter to Congressional leadership asking for the Zadroga Act to be voted on by itself as stand-alone legislation, rather than being used as a political bargaining tool.
FACT: Congressional leadership attached the Zadroga Act to an unrelated year-end $1.1 trillion spending bill, using the legislation as an incentive to get votes for the passage of the underlying spending bill that was thousands of pages long and had a litany of other programs. Congressman Garrett could not support a $1.1 trillion government spending bill, despite strongly voicing his support for the permanent reauthorization of the Zadroga programs.
Garrett: New Jersey families are frustrated with Washington because of spending bills like this one
Dec 18, 2015
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05), a senior Member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement after voting against the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill:
“While I strongly support provisions that provide health care to 9/11 first responders and address key vulnerabilities in how we issue visas to foreign visitors, this bloated $1.1 trillion spending bill doesn’t do enough to address our nation’s crippling debt, protect civil liberties, nor strengthen our national security and, therefore, I could not support it. New Jersey families are frustrated with Washington because of spending bills like this that are 2,000 pages long, include new surveillance provisions which were inserted in the middle of the night, lack adequate security from the threat of terrorists seeking to cross our borders, and add to the nearly $20 trillion national debt that is hindering our economy.”
Salute to a recruit to Zadroga Act 9/11 aid renewal
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 7:05 PM
An atta-boy to New Jersey Republican Rep. Scott Garrett for enlisting on Tuesday as a cosponsor of a bill that would provide continued health coverage and monetary compensation to rescue and recovery workers who were sickened at Ground Zero.
What with so much going on in Washington, Garrett had apparently overlooked the duty until that morning, when a reminder in this space noted that he was the only member of the New Jersey delegation without his name on the measure.
With Dan Donovan, sworn in that night to represent Staten Island and a nub of Brooklyn, Garrett joins budding GOP support for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
Enacted in 2010 after entrenched Republican opposition, the law authorized spending $4.2 billion on specialized medical care for 9/11 responders, along with compensation. The sum was $3 billion short of the amount sought by Democrats and coverage was cut to five years.
Without congressional renewal, thousands of suffering Ground Zero laborers will lose critical health care assistance. In control of both the House and Senate, the Republicans will be crucial to preventing such a catastrophe.
That’s why having Garrett on board helps build momentum and why Donovan gets a thumbs-up for making co-sponsorship his very first legislative action.
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/editorial-salute-recruit-9-11-aid-renewal-article-1.2221301
