2015 Reauthorization

On April 14th 2015, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 1786 and in the United States Senate, S. 928, and the “James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2015”, to renew and make permanent the Health and Compensation programs that were helping thousands of injured and ill 9/11 Responders and Survivors. The legislation was introduced in by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Peter King (R-NY) along with 49 other original bi-partisan and in the Senate by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and 9 other Senators.

With and lot of work by a lot of responders, survivors and their supporters, the legislation HR 1786 / S. 928, eventually gained overwhelming support with 272 cosponsors in the house, 80 Republicans and all 192 Democrats, and 69 cosponsors in the Senate with 23 Republicans and all 46 Democratic Senators.

Because of the overwhelming bipartisan support by so many Representatives, the Congress passed legislation in December 2015 that President Obama signed into law that made the World Trade Center Health Program permanent so that injured responders and survivors can get the health care that they need and extended the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund until December 2020.

Congressional Votes During 2015 REAUTHORIZATION

The Congress did not reauthorize the programs in a separate bill but as part of the large “Omnibus” passed at the end of the year that funded much of the Government. There was NO separate vote by members of Congress either in the Committee or the floor of either house. The only measure to gauge of individual member support is whether they were one of the 272 Members of the House or 69 members of the Senate who co-sponsored the legislation.

SPONSORS OF 2015 REAUTHORIZATION EFFORT

Senators who sponsored S. 928.

Representatives who sponsored HR. 1786

Below are documents from the 2015 Reauthorization of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY HR. 1786/ S. 928

Library of Congress Legislative History of HR 1786 in 114th Congress

DOCUMENTS FROM 2015 REAUTHORIZATION EFFORT

Congressional Budget Office Estimates during Reauthorization

Congressional Hearings during Reauthorization

Congressional Research Service Memos during Reauthorization

Background Materials used during Reauthorization

Summary of 2015 Reauthorization