Donovan endorses Paul Ryan, who dismissed medical treatment and health benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors as a ‘health care entitlement’
Today, Dan Donovan cast his vote in support of Paul Ryan for Speaker of the House.
Described as potentially “the most conservative House speaker in recent history,” Ryan voted twice against The Zadroga Act that would provide medical treatment and health benefits for 9/11 first responders & survivors, even dismissing the aid as “deeply flawed” and deriding it as a “health care entitlement.” The benefits provide care for up to 70,000 Americans who were affected by the 9/11 attacks.
The Republican-led Congress has yet to renew these benefits, which expired at the end of September.
“Health care benefits for 9/11 first responders & survivors expired under the watch of the Republican-led Congress back in September, and today Dan Donovan and his fellow House Republicans backed a steadfast opponent of these benefits for the top leader in Congress, Paul Ryan,” said Bryan Lesswing at the DCCC. “Staten Islanders will hold Donovan accountable for letting Congress stand idly by as 9/11 heroes languish without the certainty of having their health care needs met.”
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Ryan Voted Twice Against Initial Passage Of Zadroga 9/11 Health And Compensation Act To Provide Health Care For 9/11 First-Responders. In 2010, Ryan voted twice against providing compensation funding for first responders to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, establishing a medical program and reopening funding for individuals exposed to harmful debris. The bill, formally titled the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, was named after a New York Police Department detective who participated in the ground zero effort and died on symptoms common to first responders. Under the measure, the Department of Health and Human Services would run a 10-year program to treat and monitor those with medical problems from the debris exposure. The program would also research conditions that may be related to the exposure, as well as diagnostic methods and treatment. Enrollment would be capped at 25,000 patients at any time. [HR 847, Vote #491, 7/29/10; HR 847, Vote #550, 9/29/10; CQ Today, 9/29/10; ABC News, 9/10/12]
Ryan Missed Final Vote – But Went Out Of His Way To Say He Would Have Opposed Passage, Dismissing It As “A New Health Care Entitlement” That Was “Deeply Flawed.” “The vote I wish to discuss is the bill H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. Without a doubt, Republicans and Democrats can agree that both the victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the first responders who bravely served following the attacks deserve to be fairly treated and compensated. However, this bill would create a new health care entitlement, the World Trade Center Health Program, while also extending eligibility for compensation under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. As a result, had I been present, I would have voted against passage of the bill. … rather than working with Republicans to craft a bill which truly addressed the shortcomings in care provided to those directly impacted by the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Majority instead rushed this bill to the floor in the waning hours of the 111th Congress, refusing to allow an open debate or consider amendments. The result is a deeply flawed bill.” [HR 847, Vote #664, 12/22/10; Congressional Record, H8963, 12/22/10]