9/11 Health Coverage and Programs in Omnibus Bill

[DMCKEON]

The President signed the Omnibus Bill yesterday. While there was concern over some of the line items or earmarks that it contained there was some very good news for the victims of 9/11.

Contained in the bill was $108 million for Health Coverage for 9/11 Responders and others.

This will go a long way to helping those in need until a permanent plan is put in place.

We hope that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health will do a better job administrating this then the City did with the funds that were set aside for this purpose but were only spent on legal fees.

Hopefully common sense will have a role in how it will be administered.

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41123

Also contained in the bill was $468, 657 seed funding for the Hearts and Hands Memorial which will become the permanent home of the United in Memory 9/11 Memorial Quilt. It will also offer a peaceful and serene place to honor those who died on 9/11 as well as a place where we will continue to develop community and educational programs that had their origins after 9/11.

We will be reaching out to all family groups for input as this memorial “WILL” be for the 9/11 families. Honoring those who died as well as all impacted by the tragic events of 9/11.

http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40888


Finally the bill also contained $178,000 for John Jay College, New York, NY, for the Regenhard Center for Emergency Response Studies where we know it will put to good use. Congratulations to Sally and Glenn and everyone else involved.

Now we need to stay and course and finish what these funds have allowed us to start.

Dennis