House Republican leadership is advising its members to vote against a bipartisan bill that would, among other things, bolster medical support to Sept. 11 victims. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), would provide medical monitoring to those exposed to toxins at ground zero, bolster treatment at specialized centers for those afflicted by toxins on Sept. 11 and reopen a compensation fund to provide for the economic loss of victims.
And its all paid for by closing a tax loophole on foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries, Democrats said.
But according to Republicans, its a job-killing growth of government that wou;d create a new entitlement and waste taxpayer dollars.
The bill, if passed, would reopen the Victims Compensation Fund until 2031 instead of litigation, victims could try to get money from the fund. Republicans are calling the extension well beyond what is needed to take care of latent claims, according to a policy statement from the GOP.
Republicans continue to believe that those who responded to the [World Trade Center] attack should get the treatment and liability protection they need because they dutifully answered a call for help, the policy statement reads.
But this bill, according to Republicans, creates a massive new entitlement program, exposes taxpayers to increased litigation and is paid for with tax increases and potential job losses.