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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, On September 11, 2001, enemy terrorist action
3		destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City; and
4		WHEREAS, Over 63,000 first responders assembled at the site
5		of the World Trade Center to provide emergency assistance under
6		unimaginable conditions; the wreckage of the building
7		contained large quantities of toxic substances which have had,
8		and will continue to have, significant effects upon the health
9		status and quality of life of many of these first responders;
10		and
11		WHEREAS, Approximately 170 of these 9/11 first responders
12		currently reside in Illinois; and
13		WHEREAS, A federal law, the James Zadroga Act, oversees
14		health care and compensation to all on this list of 63,000 and
15		their survivors; this Act authorizes operation of the World
16		Trade Center Health Program for medical monitoring and
17		treatment and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
18		provides compensation for economic damages and loss to
19		responders and survivors; and
20		WHEREAS, Under the James Zadroga Act, 33,000 first
21		responders have been diagnosed with 9/11-related medical

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1		conditions, 10,549 claimants have been determined to be
2		eligible for compensation, 7,800 persons have been classified
3		as having been injured at the 9/11 site, compensation decisions
4		have been made for 4,415 persons, and well more than $1 billion
5		has been paid out; and
6		WHEREAS, These figures are expected to increase in future
7		years due to health diagnoses arising from exposure to 9/11
8		conditions; and
9		WHEREAS, Despite these needs, the World Trade Center Health
10		Program will sunset in October of 2015 and the September 11th
11		Victim Compensation Fund will sunset in October of 2016; and
12		WHEREAS, United States Senators Mark Kirk of Illinois,
13		Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Chuck Schumer of New York, and
14		Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have joined as bipartisan lead
15		co-sponsors of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation
16		Reauthorization Act; this reauthorization act will extend the
17		lifespan of these vital programs and will add additional
18		research into the diagnosis and treatment of 9/11-related
19		health conditions; therefore, be it
20		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22		call upon the United States Congress to take prompt action to

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1		reauthorize the James Zadroga 9/11 family of programs and to
2		fully fund these programs; and be it further
3		RESOLVED, That we commend Senators Mark Kirk, Kirsten
4		Gillibrand, Chuck Schumer, and Lisa Murkowski for their
5		bipartisan sponsorship of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and
6		Compensation Reauthorization Act; and be it further
7		RESOLVED, That we recognize other federal Senators and
8		members of the United States House of Representatives, who are
9		also showing their support for these 63,000 first responders;
10		and be it further
11		RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12		presented to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the
13		Speaker of the House of the U.S. House of Representatives, and
14		each member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.