Today, U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler, the authors of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, responded to a litany of misrepresentations made by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) about the Zadroga Act -- most recently in an op-ed Enzi wrote in yesterday’s New York Daily News.  Maloney’s and Nadler’s point-by-point rebuttal of Enzi’s op-ed can be found below, followed by the Daily News Editorial Board’s assessment of Enzi’s claims.

“9/11 rescuers deserve an honest debate, not a smear campaign,” said Maloney.  “The Zadroga Act has been before Senator Enzi’s committee for years, but only now, when the bill has a chance of becoming law, is he saying that he has concerns and needs more information.  This is just an attempt to kill the bill by stalling it.  It’s been nine years since 9/11, and those who are suffering because of the attacks don’t have any more time to wait.  The time to pass the Zadroga Act is now.”

“Senator Enzi’s disingenuous and misleading characterizations of the Zadroga Act are simply part and parcel of Republican efforts to derail the legislation,” said Nadler.  “For years, we have listened and taken into account GOP concerns with the bill, and Enzi’s smear-job at this stage is not a good faith effort to get the job done.  The Senate Republicans have clearly demonstrated their lack of empathy for the first responders and survivors of 9/11, and there is only one way left them to prove their support: vote for the bill.”

Below is Sen. Enzi’s op-ed from Sunday’s Daily News.  Maloney’s and Nadler’s responses are in italics.