Unit II Journal: The 9/11 Health and Compensation Act
Majorly referred to as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, the bill was passed into law on the 2nd of January 2011 by President Barack Obama as a scheme towards compensating the health emergency responders, students and others suffering from the World Trade Center Disaster. This was initiated after a period of controversies based on the Congress members in which both proponents and opponents felt a need for medical access to these groups. The Act was a result of the realization of the sufferings undergone by emergency responders and rescue workers after their response missions. An apt example was James Zadroga, an NYPD officer who succumbed to a respiratory disease believed to have been invoked by air conditions during his rescue mission at Ground Zero. According to President Obama, the state was indebted to the selfless acts showcased by the emergency response teams who risked their lives to ensure the safety of other Americans.
However, down to the enactment of this bill, myriad disagreements and negotiations have prevailed. For instance, in 2005, Carolyn Maloney introduced the Remember 9/11 Health Act, which utterly failed for recognition accompanied by a 2006 bill co-sponsored by senator Menendez and representative Maloney which was not also thriving. Congress members also felt the need to re-open the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. The efforts of the latter would be tailored to assist the emergency responders suffering from illnesses and diseases related to their line of work. However, after the bill was passed, a lot of implications have emerged, encompassing extended health benefits to first responders. I noticed more efforts to improve the convenience of the law after its reauthorization in 2015 with a coverage extension of up to 2090. I feel that the impact of the Act will be tremendous, especially in catering for the health issues of the first responders whose susceptibility to disaster infections is immeasurable.