On September 30^th, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, providing health care and financial support for 9/11 first responders and survivors, began to expire. I, along with my colleagues Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-12) and Rep. Pete King (NY-2), penned the following Op-Ed calling for urgent Congressional action to reauthorize this important legislation. In their time of need, we cannot turn our backs on the heroes who risked their lives for others, and those who continue to feel the loss fourteen years after New York City came under attack. We must #Renew911Health.

Zadroga Act Expires: Congressional Action Urgently Needed
By Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, and Peter King  
Appeared in The Hill, September 30, 2015

It’s official: the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act has expired. Today, Congress missed an important deadline to reauthorize the World Trade Center Health Program and the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, and soon the first responders and survivors of the worst terrorist attack on American soil in our history will receive notice -- the programs that provide healthcare and offer financial support to our 9/11 heroes are expiring. 

Perhaps for some, September 11, 2001, is a distant memory. But for the heroes and survivors, every struggling breath, every pill swallowed, every chemo dose administered is another reminder of that terrible day. Those who sacrificed so much in the moments, days, and weeks after the attacks deserve a Congress that will act with boldness and righteousness to match their courage. They didn’t wait for us to call on them – they went without question into the fires of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shankesville, Pennsylvania. Congress must answer that unquestioning bravery with unwavering support and put aside gridlock and delay.

Fourteen years ago, we gathered on the steps of the Capitol and vowed to never forget. We must not walk away.  

Passing a permanent reauthorization of the Zadroga Act would put to rest the question of whether “never forget 9/11” is just a slogan on a bumper sticker or a sacred commitment by public servants to those who risked so much and lost so much that day. If Congress fails to act, that question will answer itself.

Recognizing National Excellence at P.S. 682, The Academy of Talented Scholars

I would like to congratulate the remarkable students, staff, and faculty of The Academy of Talented Scholars (TAOTS) for their exceptional academic performance over the past year. Brooklyn’s P.S. 682 has been named a recipient of the National Blue Ribbon Schools award by the U.S. Department of Education, one of a select group of only 335 schools nationwide. For 33 years, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has recognized grade-schools, both public and private, for their exemplary performances in closing the achievement gap and instituting higher standards of education among their pupils.

Ranging from Kindergarten through Grade 5, TAOTS is the embodiment of the high standards and dedication to excellence that the National Blue Ribbon Schools award has come to signify. Using a unique combination of arts, technology, and traditional methods, TAOTS creates a special learning environment that builds confidence and teaches critical thinking to serve students throughout their life. TAOTS strives to support the learning needs of every student, providing specialized programs for students with special educational needs, including counseling for speech disorders and a specialized Autism Spectrum Disorder program.

In addition to our appreciation of the hard work of P.S. 682’s students, we must also congratulate the highly qualified and committed educators and staff who help make TAOTS such a success. In recognition of its excellence in teaching, P.S. 682 has already been honored by New York State as a Reward School for high performance, and we are very proud to add it to the distinguished list of National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Federal Funding to Help NYC's LGBTQ Homeless Youth Population

This week, Congressman Nadler was pleased to announce three new federal grants being awarded to the Ali Forney Center.  Headquartered on the west side of Manhattan, the Center is dedicated to serving the homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) youth in New York City. It is estimated that 40% of the City’s homeless youth population identifies as LGBTQ, and the Center serves close to 1,400 youth per year through 10 housing sites and a multipurpose drop-in center. Combined, the more than $1 million in federal funding will allow the Center, the largest agency dedicated to LGBTQ homeless youth in the United States, to continue working on a range of issues, including domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, substance abuse treatment and mental health services, and HIV testing.

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts

October 2nd marked the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts. This is a tremendously proud milestone for an organization dedicated to advancing American arts and culture. Since first coming to Congress, I have been a leading advocate against cuts to the NEA and along with the Congressional Arts Caucus helped create Americans for the NEA to bring pro-arts advocates from around the country to Washington to lobby against NEA funding cuts.  It is critical that we continue to promote American art from new artists and exciting perspectives representative of our nation’s diversity. I am proud to have been a longtime supporter of the NEA and look forward to another 50 years of important and innovative work.
 

Sincerely,