Reps. Nadler and Lofgren to Investigate Status of Compensation for 9/11 Illnesses

Apr 01, 2008 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- -- United States Congress

Reps. Nadler and Lofgren to Investigate Status of Compensation for 9/11 Illnesses

Monday, March 31, 2008

Contact: Shin Inouye, 202-225-5635 (Nadler)

Pedro Ribeiro, (202) 225-3072 (Lofgren)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law will hold a joint oversight hearing titled, "Paying With Their Lives: The Status of Compensation for 9/11 Health Effects," on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 10:00 A.M.

While prior hearings have focused on how the federal government should provide health care services for individuals whose health was adversely impacted by the effects of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, this hearing will mark the first time that Congress has focused specifically on those individuals' economic losses. These losses occur when 9/11-related illness causes affected individuals to, for example, lose their employment.

In particular, this hearing will examine different compensation approaches used thus far to address 9/11-related economic losses, such as the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) and the World Trade Center Captive Insurance Company. The hearing will also examine specific problems arising for first responders, workers, local residents, students and other individuals whose illnesses did not become apparent for months or years after September 11, as well as individuals who may become sick in the future. Finally, the hearing will consider possible solutions to provide the necessary relief to affected individuals who have and will continue to experience losses, but have thus far seen little or no compensation.

What: Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law and Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Joint Oversight Hearing on "Paying With Their Lives: The Status of Compensation for 9/11 Health Effects"

Who: Kenneth Feinberg, Former Special Master, Victim Compensation Fund; James Melius, MD, PhD, Administrator, New York State Laborers' Health and Safety Trust Fund; Mike Valentin, former NYPD detective with severe 9/11-related health problems; Michael Cardozo, Corporation Counsel, City of New York; Anne-Marie Lasowski, Acting Director, Education, Workforce and Income Security, Government Accountability Office; Ted Frank, Resident Fellow and Director, American Enterprise Institute Legal Center for the Public Interest

When: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 - 10:00 A.M.

Where: Room 2141, Rayburn House Office Building

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