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The healthcare bill that has Jon Stewart mad at Congress: Comedian Jon Stewart’s fiery testimony has raised questions about Congress’ support for healthcare for 9/11 first responders, and also illuminated how legislating works — that is: It’s ugly and can be unnerving to outsiders.
Why Stewart is upset: In June 11 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Stewart berated representatives for dragging their feet in funding the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, which provides financial support to responders who are now too sick to work.
“As I sit here today, I can’t help but think what an incredible metaphor this room is for the entire process that getting health care and benefits for 9/11 first responders has come to,” Stewart said in an evocative delivery. “Behind me, a filled room of 9/11 first responders, and in front of me, a nearly empty Congress.”
The facts of the matter: In fact, Congress has always pulled through with funding, if only slowly and after several hold-ups.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made that point in response to Stewart’s testimony, saying that the former late-night host was “all bent out of shape” for no reason and “looking for some way to take offense.” In turn, Stewart accused the Kentuckian of using 9/11 responders as political pawns.
Here’s the background: The fund in question was initially created in 2001 to provide compensation to first responders who contracted chronic illnesses in the aftermath of the attacks, and to the families of first responders who died.
Initially, Congress had no idea how much healthcare liability would stem from the tragedy. By 2004, the original iteration of the fund had distributed more than $7 billion to the families of 2,880 people who died on 9/11 and to 2,680 individuals who were injured.
By the time Congress began debating re-upping the fund in 2010-2011 with the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, some members on both sides of the aisle were hesitant about the sums involved.
Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, told Cassidy that it’s valid to worry about the cost, “but at the end of the day we should never put first responders in a position that they don’t get the resources they need.”
The 2010 bill allocated $2.775 billion for the fund. A 2015 bill allocated another $4.6 billion.
Those versions received some opposition. The House passed the 2011 bill, for example, with Senate amendments by a vote of 260-60, with 59 of the ‘no’ votes coming from Republicans. Only one Democrat, Mississippi’s Gene Taylor (now out of office), voted against.
Cassidy contacted the offices of many of the lawmakers opposed to the bills, and none were interested in explaining their votes.
Where Congress went wrong: When Congress devised the budget for the fund, lawmakers had little sense of how many people at the site of the fallen towers would develop chronic illnesses.
In particular, lawmakers didn’t understand that cancers can remain dormant for 20 years, sometimes more. They were thus caught off guard in 2011 when the Obama administration brought in a medical board that reported a drastic rise in new cancers in first responders, necessitating a ramp-up in funding.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., an original cosponsor of the latest funding bill, said the budgets in 2011 and 2015 were based on the illnesses up to that point. “One of the doctors that testified the other day said that there’s been a dramatic increase in cancers that have remained dormant for 15, 16, 17 years. In 2015 it was based it on what we saw the past 14 years.”
New York City-area lawmakers like King are optimistic that the latest bill, the Never Forget the Heroes Act that would replenish the fund through 2090, will pass. However, the Congressional Budget Office has not yet given Congress a cost estimate.
Good morning and welcome to the Washington Examiner’s Daily on Healthcare! This newsletter is written by senior healthcare reporter Kimberly Leonard (@LeonardKL) and healthcare reporter Cassidy Morrison (@CassMorrison94). You can reach us with tips, calendar items, or suggestions at [email protected]. If someone forwarded you this email and you’d like to receive it regularly, you can subscribe here.
ALEXANDER, MURRAY HOLD HEARING FOR BILL TO LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS: Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., have begun a Senate health committee hearing for their bill, The Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019. They will hear feedback from witnesses about what the bill would do to lower out-of-pocket costs for health services, including ending surprise billing, increasing competition, and promoting transparency.
Tune in here.
STATES CRACK DOWN ON FRAUDULENT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS: More than 24 states have passed legislation to combat emotional support animal “fraud,” as more and more people are taking advantage of lax regulations that permit all animals from dogs to alligators to ducks that owners bring on public transportation, public buildings, private businesses, and more.
MISSOURI JUDGE RULES LAST ABORTION CLINIC CAN STAY OPEN … FOR NOW: St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer ruled Monday that Missouri’s remaining abortion clinic can stay open, even though the state neglected to renew the clinic’s license in May. The state’s health officials now have until June 21 to decide whether to renew or revoke the license for the Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region.
TRIBUNAL FINDS CHINESE LAW ENFORCEMENT HARVESTED ORGANS, TORTURED INMATES IN PRISONS: The ruling Chinese Communist Party is responsible for torturing and harvesting organs from marginalized groups, including Uyghur Muslims, currently held in prison camps, according to the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China.
SAN FRANCISCO SET TO BE THE FIRST CITY TO BAN E-CIGARETTES: City supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday for a first-of-its-kind ban on the sale and distribution of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, on city property. A final vote to pass the ordinance, which amends the city health code, is expected to come next week. City officials singled out e-cigarettes, blaming devices like Juul, for a “growing health epidemic of youth vaping.”
MEASLES CASES RISE AGAIN: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that confirmed measles cases reached 1,044 on June 13. This count is the highest in 27 years.
SENATORS REINTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN: Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., reintroduced a bill Tuesday to increase access to mental health services for children in foster care who have special behavioral health needs. Portman said the goal is to “provide a sense of stability for these children and better equip foster parents to care for them.”
15,500 KILOS OF COCAINE SEIZED AT PHILADELPHIA PORT: Federal authorities found and seized 15,500 kilos of cocaine, worth about $1 billion, at a port in South Philadelphia Tuesday. Law enforcement seized the drugs from shipping containers that had traveled on a cargo ship from the Bahamas while also docking in Panama and Chile.
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Calendar
WEDNESDAY | June 19
House and Senate in session.
June 19-21. Nashville. AHIP Institute and Expo. Agenda.
10 a.m. 2123 Rayburn. House Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on “Protecting Title X and Safeguarding Quality Family Planning Care.” Details.
THURSDAY | June 20
10:30 a.m. 2322 Rayburn. Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee hearing on “Medicaid Funding in the U.S. Territories.” Details.
2 p.m. 2154 Rayburn. House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Government Operations hearing on “Ensuring Quality Healthcare for Our Veterans.” Details.
SATURDAY | June 22
Columbia, S.C. Planned Parenthood Action Fund to host a forum on reproductive rights for the Democratic primary.
