PRESS RELEASE
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the House of Representatives approved legislation extending authorization and funding for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. Higgins, a cosponsor of the bill (H.R. 1327), spoke on the Floor in support of the legislation that makes resources available to those who have suffered health consequences or died as a result of the terrorist attack on 9/11.
H.R. 1327, the “Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act,” is named after 9/11 responders who lost their lives as a result of 9/11-related illnesses.
Higgins recently joined the Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health (WNYCOSH) for a Workers’ Memorial Day rally supporting permanent authorization of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. Nearly 50 Western New York residents, who responded following the attack, were in attendance.
The Victim Compensation Fund was established shortly after the attack on 9/11 and has been updated and reauthorized twice since, with the current version set to expire in 2020. The Fund’s Special Master has indicated that due to dwindling resources payments on existing claims will be cut by as much as 70%. The bill approved by the House provides full funding and extends the fund’s life, authorizing “such sums as may be necessary” each year through FY2092. It will now move to the Senate for consideration.
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