Bill Text: NJ ACR36 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Calls upon Congress to enact "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act."
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-27 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [ACR36 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-ACR36-Introduced.html
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 36
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY J. PINKIN
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman JOE DANIELSEN
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Jimenez and Assemblyman Rible
SYNOPSIS
Calls upon Congress to enact "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Concurrent Resolution calling upon Congress to enact the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act."
Whereas, The "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010" ("Zadroga Act") was named after James Zadroga, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, who died of a respiratory disease as a result of his participation in rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of the World Trade Center following the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks; and
Whereas, Officer Zadroga was the first NYPD officer whose death was attributed to his exposure to, and contact with, toxic chemicals at the attack site; and
Whereas, The Zadroga Act was signed into law by President Obama in 2011 and established the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program; and
Whereas, The WTC Health Program provides medical screening, testing, and treatment services for people who worked in response and recovery operations after the 9/11 attacks and other survivors suffering from 9/11 health-related conditions; and
Whereas, The Zadroga Act also reactivated the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 which provides financial compensation for a person (or the person's representative) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the 9/11 attacks or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath; and
Whereas, Thirteen years after the attacks, first responders and other survivors are still battling serious health crises resulting from exposure to the toxins at Ground Zero; and
Whereas, More than 30,000 first responders and survivors from all 50 states have illnesses or injuries caused by the 9/11 attacks, and two thirds of those have more than one illness; and
Whereas, Many 9/11 first responders or other survivors are disabled or suffer from chronic medical and mental health conditions such as cancer, asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder; and
Whereas, The programs established under the Zadroga Act- the WTC Health Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund- are set to expire in October 2015 and October 2016, respectively; and
Whereas, On September 17, 2014, nearly a week after the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a bipartisan group of Congressmen and Congresswomen from around the country introduced the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act" to extend the operability of both the WTC Health Program and September 11th Victim Compensation Fund to 2041; and
Whereas, In order to extend critically needed medical treatment services and financial compensation programs to the first responders, who on September 11, 2001 prevented an even more significant loss of life, and to the victims they rescued, it is both reasonable and necessary for Congress to enact the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act"; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The United States Congress is called upon to enact the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act" to extend critically needed medical treatment services and financial compensation programs to the first responders, who on September 11, 2001 prevented an even more significant loss of life, and to the victims they rescued.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution calls upon Congress to enact the "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act" to extend medical treatment services and financial compensation programs to first responders and victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center (9/11 attacks).
The "James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010" established the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides medical screening, testing, and treatment services to people suffering health conditions related to the 9/11 attacks, and reactivated the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which provides financial compensation to victims of the 9/11 attacks, first responders, and their families. These programs are set to expire in October 2015 and October 2016, respectively. If enacted, the "James Zadroga Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act" would extend these programs through fiscal year 2041.
