9/11 Health Bill Authors Hail Progress Toward Adding Coverage For Cancers Under Zadroga Act

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The following is a press release from the office of U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler:

New York, NY – U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Peter King (R-NY), authors of H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, issued the following joint statement in response to the publication today of e-mail communications by members of the World Trade Center Science/Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), showing that the Committee is making progress toward advocating that cancers be covered under the Zadroga Act:

“The materials posted today on the NIOSH website show that we are making real progress in adding coverage for cancers under the Zadroga Act, and that the process created under the bill to evaluate emerging 9/11-related conditions is working. We are grateful to the members of the Science Advisory Committee for their hard work on this issue and their dedication to the health of those who fell ill because of their service to America in the aftermath of 9/11. Once the Committee’s recommendations are finalized later this month, we are sure that Dr. Howard will render quickly a final decision on adding coverage for 9/11-related cancers.”

Please click here for copies of the Science Advisory Committee member communications. On March 28, the STAC will hold a public conference call to discuss its plan and accept public comment.

Background

The World Trade Center Health Program, which is headed by Dr. John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, provides medical monitoring and treatment for those who became ill as a result of the attacks, and conducts research into emerging 9/11-related health conditions. The WTC Science and Technical Advisory Committee was created under the Zadroga Act to advise Dr. Howard regarding the implications of 9/11-related medical research, and to issue recommendations on adding coverage for new conditions under the bill.

Below are links to summaries and implementation timelines of the Zadroga Act that were prepared by the Congressional Research Service: Brief fact sheet on Zadroga Act programs

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler represents New York’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, SoHo, Greenwich Village, TriBeCa, the Financial District and Battery Park City. In Brooklyn, the 8th District includes parts of Borough Park, Red Hook, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Seagate.