9/11 Responders, Gottheimer Demand Compensation Fund Restored

TEANECK, NJ — Jaime Hazan put his life on the line to save others on 9/11.

Hazan has chronic heartburn. He took every medication available to him to stop it, but nothing worked. Eventually, the top of his stomach had to be cut out and wrapped around his esophagus to prevent him from getting esophageal cancer.

The condition was caused as a result of his work as a first responder at the World Trade Center on 9/11. He and other North Jersey 9/11 responders and survivors stood with Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Monday demanding the federal 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund be restored and extended.

The fund is cutting payouts to beneficiaries, like Hazan, between 50 and 70 percent.

The fund, which opened in 2011, compensates victims and their families for deaths and illnesses due to exposure to toxins at the sites of the 9/11 attacks. Beneficiaries include North Jersey 9/11 first responders and survivors like Hazan.

"There are thousands of us still dealing with illnesses and cancers because our work on the pile on 9/11 and the days and weeks after," Hazan said at a press conference Monday with Gottheimer. "I’m calling on ever member of Congress to pass the Never Forget the Heroes Act and do right by our first responders."

Gottheimer, a Democrat from Wyckoff representing New Jersey's fifth Congressional District, is cosponsoring the Never Forget the Heroes Act. The legislation would ensure the fund is fully financed.

"On 9/11, our first responders ran directly into danger when others ran out. They are heroes and need our help," Gottheimer said. "Just like we must always stand by our veteran and active duty, we are here today because we must continue to get the backs of all first responders, and others, who get ours – who stood up to the terrorists and ran into the burning buildings on 9/11 and in the weeks that followed."

The $7.3 billion fund has paid out nearly $5 billion to 21,000 claimants, but has another 19,000 unpaid claims left to address, NPR reported. It expires in 2020.

"The idea that some want to walk away from them is simply unacceptable; it’s appalling," Gottheimer said. "We will continue this fight until we get the backs of all of our 9/11 heroes."

The number of physically affected by the attacks keeps increasing, Hazan said.

"It is taking its toll, not just on first responders, but on the younger generation," Hazan said. "These are people who have come down with rare cancers. That's what's so frightening. We're supposed to be protecting these people."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com