Assembly Resolution No. 442

BY: M. of A. Rozic

        URGING the New York State Congressional delegation
        to  support  H.R.  7062 and S. 3592, relating to the
        Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization  of
        the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act

  WHEREAS,  The  September  11th  Victim  Compensation  Fund (VCF) was
created to provide compensation for losses resulting from  9/11  related
illnesses and originally operated from 2001 to 2004; and

  WHEREAS, Since its creation, funding for the VCF has been threatened
and  required  reauthorization through the James Zadroga Act 9/11 Health
and Compensation Act (Zadroga Act) which  was  first  enacted  in  2011,
established  the  World Trade Center Health Program, and reactivated the
VCF through October 2016; and

  WHEREAS, The Zadroga Act was renewed in 2015 to  permanently  extend
the World Trade Center Health Program and reauthorize an additional $4.6
billion in funding through December 2020; and

  WHEREAS,  The United States Congress has introduced the Never Forget
the  Heroes:  Permanent  Authorization  of  the  September  11th  Victim
Compensation  Fund Act to ensure all 9/11 first responders and survivors
continue receiving compensation; and

  WHEREAS, VCF Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya announced  this  year
that   approximately  $2.375  billion  of  the  $7.375  billion  funding
appropriated through  December  2020  is  available  to  compensate  all
pending  and  anticipated  future  claims  filed  through  the program's
expiration; and

  WHEREAS, More than 50,000 New Yorkers have registered claims and the
count is expected to rise as new 9/11 related cancers from  exposure  to
Ground Zero toxins are discovered; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  the  Congress of the United States be and hereby is
respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to support H.R.  7062
and  S.  3592,  relating  to  the  Never  Forget  the  Heroes: Permanent
Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act; and be
it further

  RESOLVED, That copies of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  the  President  of the Senate of the United States, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,  and  to  each  member  of  the
Congress of the United States from the State of New York.