Relief for heroes
House OKs 9/11 -fund extension
WASHINGTON — The House overwhelmingly passed legislation permanently extending the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund for firefighters, police and other first responders sickened from their work on Ground Zero.
Cheers broke out in the chamber’s gallery as the House voted 402-12 to advance the bill named after three 9/11 first responders who died from illnesses linked to their heroics at Ground Zero: NYPD Detective James Zadroga, FDNY firefighter Ray Pfeifer and NYPD Detective Luis Alvarez.
The 12 who voted “no” were Reps. Andy Harris of Maryland, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Justin Amash of Michigan, John Rose of Tennessee, Ken Buck of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Jody Hice of Georgia and Jodey Arrington and Michael Cloud, both of Texas.
All are Republicans, except for Amash who recently quit the GOP.
The measure now goes to the Senate.
On hand to witness the House vote were Philip Alvarez and Aida Lugo, siblings of Luis Alvarez, a retired NYPD detective who had advocated for the legislation up until his death two weeks ago at age 53 from complications from 9/11-related cancer.
“My brother wanted to see it done before he died,” said Philip, who drove an ailing Luis to Washington to plead with Congress days before his death. “He didn’t get that opportunity. But my sister and I promised him that we would be here every step of the way until it got done.”
In a striking moment that helped jump-start support, a gaunt Alvarez testified in favor of the bill before a sparsely attended House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on June 11, which also saw former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, a first responders advocate, deliver an impassioned call to action.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx/Queens) headed up to the House gallery to cheer with first responders when Friday’s final vote tally was announced.
At a press conference ahead of the vote, first responders and their advocates recalled the many trips they made to plead with lawmakers to honor those who rushed to the burning Twin Towers when others ran away.
Along with lawmakers, they remembered those advocates who were no longer there.
“We saw these people die right in front of us,” said a tearful Rep. Peter King (R-LI).
Stewart told The Post that the legislation “doesn’t remove their hardship” but provides relief.
“They are still sick. They are still dying. But it removes one layer of burden that should have never been there in the first place . . . Let them exhale,” he said.
The legislation costs $10.2 billion over the next decade.