by HILLARY CLINTON
As we mark five years since the tragic attacks of 9/11, we have a growing health crisis on our hands. We now know conclusively that thousands, if not tens of thousands, of first responders, workers, volunteers and residents experienced mental and medical health problems as a result of 9/11. As the Daily News has helped illuminate, many have developed serious illnesses, the extent of which we are just beginning to understand. It is our responsibility as a nation to make sure that all of those whose health was affected by 9/11 have the care they need and deserve. I have introduced a proposal in the Senate to authorize $1.9 billion in medical and mental health monitoring and treatment grants for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, police officers, building and construction trades workers, volunteers, residents and all others whose health was directly impacted at Ground Zero and Fresh Kills. This funding would be available from 2007 to 2011, would be administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and would expand access to health monitoring and health care to all of those who served, lived or worked in the area in the aftermath of 9/11. While expanding desperately needed monitoring and treatment for first responders and volunteers, the money would also for the first time help office workers and residents, recognizing that tens of thousands of them are suffering health effects and need treatment. It is critical that Congress act without delay so that we can get treatment to those who need it before their conditions worsen. We have already lost heroes like James Zadroga, a former New York City police detective who succumbed to illness after spending 450 hours on recovery efforts at Ground Zero. This is only the first step toward addressing the needs of those affected by 9/11. I, along with my colleagues in Congress, am working on several fronts, including introducing the James Zadroga Act of 2006 to amend the eligibility rules of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. This would extend the filing deadline beyond the original December 2003 limit so that victims and first responders who became ill - in addition to their respective family members - can still be compensated. We also have learned from the experience of 9/11 that we need a national program to fully track and treat the health effects in the aftermath of tragedy. Responders and volunteers came from all over the country to help New York in the wake of 9/11. People who had lived and worked in lower Manhattan moved to other parts of the country. And now they are suffering health effects that their local health providers might not connect to 9/11, delaying needed treatment. That is why I am working with Sen. George Voinovich to enact the Disaster Area Health and Environmental Monitoring Act, which will help establish medical monitoring systems for future disasters. Five years ago, I was proud to lead efforts to secure $12 million to establish the World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program at Mount Sinai Medical Center, the first program designed to track and monitor the health of 9/11 responders. When it was clear this money was not nearly enough to meet the need, I worked with my colleagues to get an additional $90 million. When the administration then took back $125 million in separate aid, we fought successfully to restore it - marking the first time any federal aid has been allocated for treatment services for our heroes. This week, as we marked five years since the horrific attacks of 9/11, we rightly recognized and honored the sacrifice and commitment of our first responders and so many volunteers who conducted the greatest rescue mission in the history of the world. Now is the real test of our commitment to these heroes. We cannot rest until we put in place a system to take care of every single person whose health was affected by 9/11. Sen. Clinton serves on the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
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