Thursday, December 23, 2010

Revised 9/11 Responders Health Bill Passes House (206-60)

The main hold up to the bill was not if they should get support, but how that support should be paid for. The bill now heads to Obama who is expected to sign it.

Video embedded below.



"Congress on Wednesday passed a bill that will pay for the health care treatment of first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks after Democrats and Republicans reached a bipartisan agreement. The political deal lowered the total cost of the bill to $4.2 billion — down about $2 billion from an earlier version. Once signed into law by President Barack Obama, the measure will authorize a health benefits program for 9/11 first responders for the next five years while simultaneously placing several restrictions on hos the money is dispersed.

Despite a number of members of Congress already having left Washington for the winter recess period, the House of Representatives still had enough lawmakers for a quorum and passed the bill 206-60. New York Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer called the deal a “Christmas Miracle.”
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