Yesterday, President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act into law, ensuring that first responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center would receive $1.5 billion in health benefits and $2.7 billion in compensation. Obama, who signed the bill from his vacation home in Hawaii, said in a statement that it was an honor to sign the bill, "We will never forget the selfless courage demonstrated by the firefighters, police officers and first responders who risked their lives to save others. I believe this is a critical step for those who continue to bear the physical scars of those attacks." more ›

Last night, Jon Stewart dedicated his final Daily Show of 2010 to the languishing James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. It's believed that the bill, which has passed the House (not without shouting) but was filibustered by the GOP in the Senate, has its last shot this year, because next year the House goes to the Republicans. Last week, Republicans Senators complained that tax cuts needed to take precedence; now that the tax cut plan has passed both houses, Republican Senators have objected to the voting on the bill again because the vote might take place between Christmas and New Year's. So Stewart, like he did earlier this week, took lawmakers—and conservative pundits—to task for seemingly abandoning 9/11 first responders. more ›

Forty-one Republican Senators voted against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which would have provided $7.4 billion in health care and compensation to 9/11 responders and their survivors. According to the AP, "The bill failed on a test vote, 57-42. Fifty-seven Democrats voted for the bill and 41 Republicans opposed it. Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, switched his vote to 'no' at the last moment, a parliamentary move that allows him to bring the measure up again for a vote." And the GOP refused because they want the Bush tax cuts extension passed first. Now we know: Money for millionaires > 9/11 first responders. more ›

After years and years, the House of Representatives was finally able to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Heath and Compensation Act in September. But now the worry is that the Senate will not have enough votes to pass the bill, which sets aside $7.4 billion for medical treatment and compensation to those sickened by the toxic conditions at Ground Zero after the World Trade Center attacks. One man, a tow truck driver who removed damaged FDNY vehicles from the wreckage and lost 30% of his lung capacity, tells the Daily News that Senator John McCain basically snubbed him. more ›

A few of New York's notably passionate members of Congress say the Senate must pass the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act soon. The Daily News explains, "The reason is simple: Just 17 Republicans voted for the $7.4 billion James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act when it passed in the House." If the Senate fails to pass it, then the House has to start again, and by that time, it will be a Republican-controlled House. Rep. Peter King (R-LI) said, "Right now, it's now or never for the 9/11 bill," while Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens) said, "If we're not able to pass the 9/11 bill in the lame duck, I think the reasonable conclusion is it's dead." more ›

The House of Representatives passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act by a vote of 268 to 160 two months after failing to pass the bill in a rancorous session. The act will "exposed to toxins released by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers" and also reopens the federal Victim Compensation Fund, according to Rep. Carolyn Maloney's office. Maloney, the Democrat who co-sponsored the bill with Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Michael McMahon (D-NY), said, "To the living victims of 9/11, we have good news: help is on the way. Today, the House answered the emergency calls of thousands of ailing 9/11 first responders and survivors. Our bill provides proper care to those who lost their health because of the 9/11 attacks and demonstrates that we will not abandon those who come to aid of our nation in times of crisis." more ›

In July, when the 9/11 health and compensation bill was up for a vote under "absolute majority rules," it failed to pass, enraging New York's Congressional members. Now the bill will be up for another vote this month. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler said yesterday, "We have talked to the Democratic leadership and they have told us that the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act will be brought to the House floor soon after Congress returns from recess.  We anticipate that the bill will be taken up the second week we are back in session and will be considered under regular order, with the expectation and belief that neither side will play politics with this vitally-important legislation." more ›

New York House members Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) and Rep. Peter King (R) took their fighting over how the 9/11 Health and Compensation bill failed during yesterday's House vote to Fox News. And basically it's a lot of finger pointing and raised voices, so set the volume a little lower than you usually have it. This might just best King's thoughts on Michael Jackson, the "pedophile" whose death was taking attention away from cops, teachers and firefighters! Hell, even Fox News's Bill Hemmer had to say, "Gentlemen, this may be why Congress today has an 11 percent approval rating by the American public." more ›

When does the Republican party abandon 9/11? When it's time to provide $7.4 billion in medical treatment and compensation to first responders and residents sickened by the toxic dust after the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center. Yesterday, the House's 255-159 vote (243 Democrats and 12 Republicans supported the measure; 155 Republicans and 4 Democrats voted nay) fell short of the majority needed to pass the long-debated James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009. Republicans called it a "slush fund" and an "entitlement program." Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) slammed the partisanship in this rousing (and LOUD) speech. more ›

NY politicians are pushing Congress to pass a bill that would provide Ground Zero workers with health care for life. The $11 billion James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named after the NYC cop who died of toxic dust from Ground Zero, is a supplement to the $657 million settlement that NYC has offered for the thousands of 9/11 responders who were sickened by the toxic conditions. more ›

This week, The New Yorker will have a feature on the James Zadroga's cause of death. The death of Zadroga, an NYPD detective who spent hours working rescue-and-recovery at the WTC site after 9/11, was debated in public--his family and medical experts claimed his death was due to exposure to Ground Zero toxins while the city's medical examiner disputed that, "It is our unequivocal opinion, with certainty beyond doubt, that the foreign material in your son's lungs did not get there as the result of inhaling dust at the World Trade Center or elsewhere." more ›

Dr. Charles S. Hirsch is the chief medical examiner of New York City and has overseen the autopsies on more than 100,000 people. He would probably remain a mystery to most New Yorkers, if it weren't for his ruling on the death of Det. James Zadroga, who worked clean-up at Ground Zero after September 11, 2001. Hirsch said that Zadroga's death wasn't related to Ground Zero dust, but ground-up pills the detective was allegedly injecting.... more ›

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg met with Joseph Zadroga, whose son James was a NYPD detective and worked hours of rescue and recovery after the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. James Zadroga's death has been controversial, as the NYC medical examiner's office ruled that his death was not due to exposure to toxic WTC dust but prescription drug abuse, findings that contradicted the expert opinion of two other doctors. Bloomberg entered the fray when he said that... more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an unstable building on 118th St. and 2nd Ave. in Manhattan, a person burned on 130th St. and Park Ave. in Manhattan, and a shooting on Lafayette Ave. in Brooklyn.
• Maybe it's because we're lifelong NYC baseball fans who think the Dodgers still belong in Brooklyn, but we think Joe Torre looks goofy wearing an LA jersey. Maybe he should lose the tie.
• Citigroup's Charles Prince is ousted or jumping ship, depending on how you want to paint it. The mega-bank expects to write down another $11 billion in assets related to sub-prime loans.
• A fugitive being filmed by a Swiss documentary film crew making a movie about his involvement in a drug smuggling ring was unaware that cops might want to arrest him for his crimes from 20 years ago. Surprise! They were and did.
• Policy makers may be emphasizing preventative care and shunting patients away from emergency medical care, but hospitals are putting their money where they see the future is, by expanding their ERs at a record pace.
• South Carolina cold cocks Stephen Colbert's Presidential aspirations and New York magazine makes light of the disruption of the democratic process.
• More than a dozen people were hospitalized after exposure to chemical fumes on Staten Island.
• Mayor Bloomberg has apologized to the family of James Zadroga for deriding their deceased son publicly.

Probably realizing that talking smack about a dead former NYPD detective who spent hours at the World Trade Center site working rescue and recovery isn't smart Mayoring, Mayor Bloomberg amended his comments about the late James Zadroga. more ›

For better or worse, talk of NYPD detective James Zadroga's death continues to linger. For the past two weeks, the family of Zadroga, who worked hours of rescue and recovery at the pit after the September 11 attacks, and the city's medical examiner's office have been disagreeing about Zadroga's cause of death. Now Mayor Bloomberg has stepped into the fray, discrediting Zadroga's hero status. more ›

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an injured firefighter on Myrtle Ave. in Queens, a robbery/mobilization on Broadway in Manhattan, and a suspicious death on Sheffield Ave. in Brooklyn. Five Hoboken police officers filed a federal lawsuit claiming discrimination by the town's police department. Their commander allegedly used the "N" word frequently and said "the white race was destined to rule and dominate others." You know you're screwed when you call your City Council representative... more ›

The family of late NYPD detective James Zadroga met with city medical examiner Dr. Charles Hirsch. Earlier this week, Hirsch determined that Zadroga, who spent 470 hours working rescue and recovery after the September 11 attacks, did not die from issues directly related to World Trade Center dust. more ›

One of the most heartbreaking stories after the September 11 attacks was that of James Zadroga, a NYC police detective. Zadroga had worked rescue and recovery in the debris of the World Trade Center and developed a respiratory disease. Now, over a year after his death, the city's medical examiner has ruled that his death was not caused by toxic WTC dust. more ›

Former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (and former NJ Governor) Christie Todd Whitman testified in front of Congress yesterday about the EPA's September 11 response. With critics like Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Anthony Weiner of New York and Representative Bill Pascrell of NJ questioning her, Whitman called statements made about her leadership "misinformation, innuendo and downright falsehoods." more ›

Coroners have concluded that an NYPD detective ultimately died from his cleanup work at Ground Zero. James Zadroga's death is considered to be the first cleanup worker whose death is "directly related" to the World Trade Center's dust and debris (there have been a couple deaths of workers who have developed respiratory problems after working at the site). Zadroga's family is hoping that the NYPD will consider his death an "in the line of duty" death, in order to ensure higher benefits; Zadroga's wife died in 2004, so his parents are raising the four year old daughter. more ›