: Many of these first responders and civilians breathed the toxic air at Ground Zero, and suffered severe illnesses, including cancers, because of their service, according to MSNBC. It was congressional Republicans who tried to derail the bill, and who nearly succeeded in killing the entire endeavor. The point of the measure, as a *New York Daily News* editorial explained, was to provide medical coverage and financial assistance to members of the civilian army who rallied to serve their country and city in the dark days after 9/11. Eventually, however, the then-Democratic majority, before the GOP takeover of the House in 2011, managed to overcome Republican opposition, pass the Zadroga 9/11 bill, and send it to the White House for President Obama signature. The bad news is, the policy was put in place for five years – and its time is nearly up. *New York* magazine published this report late last week: Although the country is speckled today with events remembering what happened 14 years ago at the World Trade Center, one memorial of sorts is being saved for next week. The good news is the legislation allotted billions of dollars for medical treatment and compensation for those affected.
(news.financializer.com). As
reported in the news.
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