Pelosi Backs New Fund To Compensate Ground Zero Toxin Victims
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The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said she backs legislation to reopen the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund.
The fund, which closed in 2003 after distributing more than $6 billion to those who lost family members in the World Trade Center attacks, would appropriate a new pot of money to compensate those with illnesses stemming from their exposure to toxins from ground zero.
When asked whether she would support a measure that would include opening the fund, Ms. Pelosi said: “I do.” Immediately afterwards, however, she said she had not yet committed to any of the competing proposals currently being discussed.
Members of New York’s congressional delegation have dropped attempts to push different versions of the legislation and are planning to join forces to introduce a new bill that would reopen the fund and expand care to downtown residents, schoolchildren, and anyone else who was exposed to toxic dust from the twin towers.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a lead sponsor of the effort, said last night that a new fund is needed because those who had not developed symptoms when the original fund expired have been shut out. Other sponsors are Reps. Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat, and Vito Fossella, a Republican.
Appearing alongside Mayor Bloomberg at a news conference, Ms. Pelosi said the federal government has not provided those who are now suffering what they deserve.
“We owe you more than you have received,” she said during a swing through New York that also included a tour of ground zero with Governor Spitzer.
The city has estimated that medical treatment related to the attacks will cost $393 million a year, both for those who are already sick and for those who become sick in the future.
While Mr. Bloomberg and Ms. Pelosi had only praise for each other yesterday, the mayor has been highly critical of the gridlock in Washington. In April, he joined a chorus of critical voices when Ms. Pelosi met with Syria’s leader. Yesterday, in addition to the World Trade Center health issue, the two discussed homeland security funding.
