U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Passes James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act

On Tuesday, May 25, the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. This action follows nine years of struggle to have meaningful legislation put forward and passed. The bill would provide mandatory funding for medical monitoring and treatment programs for workers/victims involved as 9/11 emergency responders, clean up and recovery workers, as well as affected New York City residents.

Some 1,500 of the affected workers are CWA members employed by telecommunications companies (particularly Verizon), public (e.g. New York City), and media and broadcasting employers (e.g., The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NBC and ABC). The next step is passage by the entire House of Representatives. Then, on to the Senate.
 
A special and deserved thanks goes to CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton, involved CWA Staff, Micki Siegel de Hernandez, Director of the District 1 Occupational Safety and Health Program, and our  many local leaders and safety and health activists.