Stalled 9/11 health bill draws ire in Valley Stream

With the James Zadroga Sept. 11 Health and Compensation Act stalled on the Senate floor this month, several members of Congress, local officials and residents are speaking out.

The legislation, which would provide health care and compensation for 9/11 first responders, was met with a filibuster by Republican senators, with some concerned about the initial $7 billion price tag. But Republicans are not the only ones who have taken action.

In a Dec. 21 press release, New York’s senators, Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer, stated that they have made changes to the legislation, including reducing its price tag by $1.2 billion in order to spur its passage by year’s end.

Valley Stream resident Vito Friscia, a retired New York City homicide detective who was a first responder on Sept. 11, said he is unhappy that the bill has not been passed yet. “It is disgraceful that they’re arguing over it,” Friscia said. “The bill should be passed. Lots of people are sick, and lots are more sick than me.”

Friscia was a block away from the World Trade Center, on his way to help in the rescue effort, when the north tower collapsed. His post-Sept. 11 experience was documented in a film, “Vito After,” which followed him for two years beginning in April 2002. It detailed his daily routines, interactions with family and friends and his medical treatments after he worked at ground zero and sifted through toxic rubble at the Fresh Kills landfill in the weeks after the attacks.

“We put our lives on the line for this,” Friscia said. “Whether the bill should be passed is not a question. The second wave should be taken care of, at least our families.”

Roger Colena, a Valley Stream resident since 1982, is also angry about the stalled bill, saying that the lack of progress on it could signify that the nation is not taking care of those who risk their lives for this country. “These individuals went down there with good intentions of helping others,” Colena said. “If they knock the bill down, it will hurt future incidents where you need first responders. First thing they’ll think is how they were treated on Sept. 11. If something happens to them, will our government take care of them?”