Litigation

Senate stops 9/11 compensation fund expansion

By Carter Wood

By a vote of 57-42, the Senate has just failed to invoke cloture on H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) both made floor statements earlier in the morning, arguing that a vote against the bill's considerations was a vote against American heroes.

Thwarted House members from the NYC-area are now pushing to have the provisions added to whatever measure carries the White House-Republican tax compromise. (See also New York Daily News blog, "Reps. Back Plan to Add 9/11 Bill to Tax Deal.")

Earlier posts.

UPDATE (1:20 p.m.): Here's the roll-call vote. Senate Majority Leader Reid changed his vote to no, a parliamentary maneuver that will allow him to move for the bill's reconsideration.

• New York Times, "Senate Republicans Block US Health Aid for 9/11 Workers"
• New York Daily News (blog), "Zadroga 9/11 Health Bill Fails Senate Test Vote"
• The Hill (blog), "Health bill for 9/11 workers fails key vote"

UPDATE (1:33 p.m.): Mayor Mike Bloomberg tweets: "Today's failed vote on the 9/11 Health & Compensation Act is a tragic example of partisan politics trumping patriotism http://bit.ly/hVDyKt." Alternatively, it might be a principled vote against a "9/11 bonanza for trial lawyers." As National Review's editors concluded:

[We] would favor a sensible bill narrowly tailored to assist the Ground Zero responders who developed an injury or illness while courageously risking their lives. But the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act is deeply flawed, and Senate Republicans should hold out for something better.

Full post as published by Point of Law on December 09, 2010 (boomark / email).