WASHINGTON — The New York congressional delegation called on the White House yesterday to spare $38 million in health-care and compensation money for 9/11 first responders slated to be cut at the end of the year if Congress can’t come up with a spending agreement.
“We must work to make sure that the burden does not fall on the national heroes who are finally receiving the help they deserve,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said at a Ground Zero rally yesterday. “They risked their lives in a time of war and suffered for it.”
During last year’s talks, Congress agreed to automatically cut over $1 trillion in defense and domestic programs when a committee of House and Senate members failed to reach agreement to reduce the deficit.
The White House Office of Management and Budget recently released a preliminary report that includes the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, passed two years ago to help first responders, as one of the federal programs slated for cuts.
The move would remove $24 million to compensate victims, with the balance coming from cuts to the World Trade Center Health Fund to pay for care.
Congress comes back after the November election for a lame-duck session.