PRINTER'S NO. 1881
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
343
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY FARRY, STAATS, BARRAR, MERSKI, HEFFLEY, PYLE,
HARKINS, T. DAVIS, FREEMAN, MURT, READSHAW, BERNSTINE,
DiGIROLAMO, D. MILLER, SAINATO, THOMAS, SAYLOR, HILL-EVANS,
BROWN, KENYATTA AND GILLEN, MAY 23, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MAY 23, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to reauthorize and
fully fund the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
WHEREAS, The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund was
created in 2001 to compensate individuals for illnesses and
deaths due to exposure to toxins at the September 11th attack
sites; and
WHEREAS, The fund was reauthorized in 2011 and then again in
2015, allowing individuals to submit claims until December 18,
2020; and
WHEREAS, The World Trade Center Health Program was
essentially established to diagnose and treat medical issues of
September 11th responders and victims; and
WHEREAS, The $7.3 billion fund has already paid out
approximately $5 billion to 21,000 claimants and still has
approximately 19,000 additional claims; and
WHEREAS, Insufficient money exists to pay current and
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projected claims at the same levels under current procedures,
and claimants that are unpaid will see a drastic cut in
payments; and
WHEREAS, More than 90,000 Americans, including approximately
1,500 residents of this Commonwealth, struggle with illnesses
related to the September 11th attacks as of 2018; and
WHEREAS, The fund should be reauthorized and fully funded
through 2090, which will make it last until the 2090 expiration
date of the World Trade Center Health Program; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to reauthorize and fully fund the September 11th Victim
Compensation Fund; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the presiding officers of
each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
Pennsylvania.
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