REMEMBER GROUND ZERO

REMEMBER GROUND ZERO

On this, the eighth anniversary of 9/11, we ask you pause and say a prayer for all of the victims of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers (WTC). Thousands died that day as the Twin Towers crumbled and melted into ash.

The brave volunteers and first responders spent endless days and nights digging through the rubble and breathing in the toxic air at Ground Zero.

There is a bill in Congress, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, that would provide the 16,000 responders and 4,000 community members documented sick from their exposure to the toxins in the air with a permanent comprehensive program to provide them with long-term monitoring and compensation for the economic losses.

The bill will establish a federal health and compensation program for responders and community members. It will provide ongoing medical care of 9/11 health conditions to approximately 15,000 additional WTC responders and 15,000 community members.

Most importantly, it will reopen the Victim Compensation Fund to provide compensation for those who have been made sick by 9/11 exposures and to address the over 10,000 pending lawsuits brought by the affected responders.

We cannot forget or turn our back on these brave individuals who rushed to aid victims. They deserve help and they must get it. We urge Congress to pass HR. 847 and S.1334.

REMEMBER TO VOTE

We urge you to remember to vote on Tuesday, September 15. Dozens of candidates have raised money on their own and from voters like you to run for offices to represent you and your families. All they ask in return is that you pick one of them to run in the November elections.

Important offices — the Mayor, Comptroller and Public Advocate — will be filled, as will all those of the Queens delegation of the City Council and a Special Election for the 38thAD will fill the seat of disgraced Assemblymember Anthony Seminerio who pleaded guilty to one count of honest services mail fraud.

Make your choice and exercise your greatest right as an American citizen, the right to vote.