What About The Others?

Last week, the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was passed. The act provides $4.3 billion in additional health benefits to the first responders to the 9/11 attack. 343 firefighters lost their lives trying to put out the fires and evacuate people from the burning buildings. Many more were injured. 23 police officers and 15 EMTs also lost their lives. More than a few have, and are suffering due to health issues and psychological problems following the attacks. New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg hailed the passage of the act and Washington's action to "get this done for America." Not to do so, he added, would have been a "tragic failure."

The 9/11 attacks were terrible and the loss of life subsequent to those attacks was horrific. But to say the bill was passed for America is a stretch. The benefits of the bill are restricted to those injured and killed due to the attack and their families. No one else in the nation will benefit from it. Nearly 400 firefighters and rescue workers died in New York on 9/11. Across the nation, 105 other firefighters died that same year. More still were injured. Everyone one of those firefighters had people depending on them. Everyone of them had family and friends. They were all risking their lives and doing their job. Yet only those killed and injured at the World Trade Center merited federal attention.

Since 9/11 nearly 1,000 firefighters have died in the U.S. trying to put out fires and save lives. Many perished and were injured last year fighting forest fires out west. None of them or their families are in line for any federal compensation. If the act was truly passed for the benefit of America, as Bloomberg claims, it would take them into account, but it doesn't. The fact is it was passed for New York City. Bloomberg was just being modest. The New York City Health and Compensation Act might have been a harder piece of legislation to sell, but it would have been more accurate. Fire fighters and rescue workers elsewhere will have to wait until enough of them die or become ill before they get attention from Washington. But they will all have to die or become ill at once. A couple here or there won't be noticed.

It could just be that Mayor Bloomberg is one of those New Yorkers that confuse their city with the United States.