Dec 10, 2007 2:22 pm US/Eastern
Congress Seeks More Treatment For 9/11 Workers
Clinton, NYC Lawmakers Add $109 Million To 9/11 Workers Health Care
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and New York area lawmakers have added $109 million in health care for sick ground zero workers as part of a massive spending bill that faces an uncertain future in a budget standoff between Democrats and the White House.
The money for treatment of ground zero workers -- double the amount provided in an earlier emergency spending bill -- was wrapped into a $500-billion-plus spending bill that the Democratic Congress is working on. The White House has already threatened to veto it.
As a senator, Clinton has pushed for years for the government to provide a long-term health care program for those sickened from their work at the toxic World Trade Center debris pile following the 2001 terrorist attacks. As a presidential candidate, she has highlighted her work on the issue.
"Today's announcement marks another step toward addressing those enduring wounds," Clinton said in a statement. Her office was the first to release details of the funding increase.
The new spending was pushed by lawmakers from New York and New Jersey.
The prior year's budget provided $50 million to help maintain such health programs, most of which are based in the New York City area.
The White House on Saturday threatened to veto the spending package, saying it's unacceptable to add billions of dollars to domestic programs.
The White House has not seen details of the measure, which senior Democrats are crafting behind closed doors.
The bill contains $11 billion above President Bush's February budget, awarding the money to domestic programs such as education and health research. It also may contain several billion dollars in emergency funding for border security, foreign aid, drought relief and a food program for women and children.
The Democratic measure would roll together 11 spending bills funding every Cabinet agency except the Defense Department, whose $459 billion budget bill passed last month. The $11 billion increase pushed by Democrats would split the difference between the increases contained in Democrats' original spending bills and the level sought by Bush.
Clinton urged the president not to follow through on his veto threat.
"The New Yorkers and the responders from across the country who came to our aid have suffered enough without being caught in the middle of a political squabble," she said.
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