Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), and House Space, Science and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced the September 11th VCF Reauthorization and U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Compensation Act (H.R. 3858 ) to compensate the first responders and other victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and other terrorist attacks against Americans facilitated by state sponsors of terrorism. In addition, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-Penn.) released a discussion draft to reauthorize the World Trade Center Health Program.
The bill introduced by Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman Chabot, and Chairman Smith provides for a five-year reauthorization of the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund and $2,775,000,000 to compensate eligible claimants who file claims during this five-year extension. Another major provision of the bill allows U.S. victims and the families of U.S. victims whose lives were lost in state sponsored terrorist attacks, such as the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Marine Barracks and U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, to receive compensation from a new terrorism compensation fund. The legislation uses funds seized from the state sponsors of terror, and will allow the victims of the 9/11 attacks and other U.S. terrorism victims the ability to be compensated for their losses while not incurring additional costs to the American taxpayer.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s discussion draft provides for a five-year extension of special health care coverage for first responders and survivors who suffered medical complications following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The World Trade Center Health Program includes medical services for responders and survivors; a network of Clinical Centers of Excellence and Data Centers; a Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee; and payment for medical services provided to enrollees. NIOSH is primarily responsible for administering the program. The discussion draft also includes a GAO Study on the processes for providing certifications of coverage of conditions of World Trade Center responders as World Trade Center related health conditions. Finally, the discussion draft includes a provision to offset the cost of the reauthorization of the World Trade Center Health Program. This provision would require individuals earning more than $1,000,000 annually to pay their entire premium for Medicare Parts B and D.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot, House Space, Science and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, and Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts released the following joint statement:
“We saw courage in the actions of the emergency personnel and first responders who were at Ground Zero only hours after the World Trade Center fell in order to search for survivors and recover those whom we lost. We also saw courage in the faces of the families of U.S. service members and others who lost mothers, fathers, husbands, wives and children during acts of terror, and who have never been able to hold those who sponsor these wicked acts of terrorism financially accountable.
“Today we are taking a stand for the victims, as well as their families, who have suffered at the hands of terrorist organizations whose sole mission is to harm American citizens. We are also making sure that those who served and sacrificed countless hours during the recovery efforts at Ground Zero receive the care and compensation they deserve."
