Legislative Victories for New York, Gulf Coast Heroes

May 25, 2007 -- The IAFF has achieved two major legislative victories with the recent passage of the Iraq War Supplemental Appropriations bill. In addition to providing funding for American troops overseas, the legislation includes $50 million for New York City fire fighters who responded to 9/11 and frees up federal funding for Gulf Coast fire fighters impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The bill also includes a provision increasing the minimum wage to $7.25.

President George W. Bush is expected to sign the bill into law. He had vetoed a previous version of the legislation because it sought to end U.S. military involvement in Iraq.

“For too long, those fire fighters who responded to our nation’s most serious disasters have done without needed care and resources,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “I applaud Congress for passing legislation to ensure the health and well-being of 9/11 responders and speed the repair of Gulf Coast firehouses.”

The IAFF has been actively engaged in the New York and Gulf Coast funding issues for several months. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, World Trade Center responders have benefited from medical monitoring and treatment provided by the Fire Department of New York. Congress provided federal funding for the programs last year, but the money was slated to run out by mid-2007. Working with Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Vito Fosella (R-NY), the IAFF convinced congressional appropriators to include money for continued monitoring and treatment in the Iraq supplemental.

The Supplemental also provides a waiver of the 10 percent local matching requirement by the federal government to receive disaster assistance funds. Although the federal government has made $2.7 billion available to Gulf Coast communities to fix damaged or destroyed infrastructure, the money has been stuck in the pipeline because the devastated communities cannot afford the matching requirement. The new law will enable Gulf Coast communities to repair and rebuild fire stations and other vital infrastructure with the federal funds.