Dear Lucas,
Just a few days ago it looked like the political process in Washington had broken down. Key pieces of legislation like the 9/11 Health Care Compensation Act, repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", and the START treaty seemed mired in Senate gridlock.
The apparent roadblock erected against our heroic first responders at the World Trade Center site was particularly disturbing to me personally. As a principal author of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, I was deeply dismayed at the prospect of watching the heroes of Ground Zero continue to struggle without the resources they deserved to fight for their own health.
In recent days, however, the logjam on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the START treaty was cleared - and yesterday, we broke the impasse on the 9/11 health bill! This legislation passed by both houses of Congress will go a long way towards helping the brave men and women who rushed to aid their fellow Americans in the aftermath of an attack on our nation.
Click here to see my interview on ABC about the significance of passing the 9/11 bill shortly before the final votes. I also speak briefly about the newly released census numbers.
To all of the brave first responders, we thank you for your service. Enacting this bill into law is the least we can do as a grateful nation. And - while it took too long to achieve a bipartisan consensus to move this common-sense legislation forward - this marked a triumph for all Americans. It's moments like these that make me proud to be a Member of Congress, and grateful to you for the opportunity to serve.
Sincerely,
Carolyn B. Maloney