Public Employee Press: PEP Talk
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Running Out of Money
News that the fund to help tens of thousands of 9/11 victims is running out of money sent activists and first responders to Washington, D.C. recently to push for permanent support.
They called upon Congress to support bipartisan legislation that would ensure the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund remains fully funded. To date, nearly 40,000 people, including DC 37 members, have applied to the federal fund as a result of illnesses potentially related to being at the site of the World Trade Center and other 9/11 targets such as the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA.
About 19,000 of those claims are still pending, and Fund General Master Rupa Bhattacharyya warned in mid-February that the fund has “insufficient” money to continue paying out current and projected claims, and will have to reduce future payments by 50–70 percent. There were more than 8,000 claims filed in the last four months. Comedian Jon Stewart, a staunch supporter of 9/11 responders, was among those calling for Congress to pass the “Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Act,” which is sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, as well as Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler, and Peter King, all of New York.
Stewart has made previous trips to Washington, D.C. on behalf of 9/11 first responders and survivors.
“It’s embarrassing,” Stewart said at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol. “It’s not embarrassing for the people doing it, it’s embarrassing for the country and the lawmakers who over these past 18 years haven’t been able to get this thing right. It’s unfortunate and it’s embarrassing that they need to have somebody draw attention to them.”
Despite the funding crisis, DC 37 Safety & Health Director Veronica Foley urges DC 37 members who worked near Ground Zero on 9/11/01 to sign up for the World Trade Center Health Program by calling 888.982.4748. The program provides medical screening and treatment of health issues related to exposure to the 9/11 attack. Those certified with a 9/11 illness can file a claim with the Victim Compensation Fund.
