Sen.
Kirsten Gillibrand
scored a surprise
concession on
Wednesday from
President Obama in
the fight to do
right for 9/11
heroes.
New Yorkers besieged
the White House
after Obama's Health
and Human Services
secretary declared
last week the
administration would
not back committing
$11 billion in
mandatory funding
over 30 years for
ailing 9/11 first
responders.
But the junior
senator cornered
Obama in a Q&A he
staged with
Democratic senators.
"Would you, today,
commit to working
with Congress to
pass a comprehensive
9/11 health bill
that's fully paid
for?" Gillibrand
asked.
"These Americans
hail from every one
of the 50 states,"
Gillibrand said.
"Some of them are
gravely ill,
suffering
serious
health effects. Some
are disabled. Some
have died."
Obama's answer
cracked the door
back open to the
possibility that
60,000 people being
monitored for
9/11-related illness
could now get more
long-term federal
help.
"I fully commit to
working with you
guys," Obama said,
admitting he was not
entirely familiar
with the bill that's
been stalled in
Congress. "I
confess, Kristen, I
have not looked at
all the details of
your legislation,"
he said, flubbing
her name.
"Everybody here
wants to make
surethat those who
showed such
extraordinary
courage and heroism
during 9/11 ... are
fittingly cared for,
and that's going to
be something that we
are going to be very
interested in
working with you
on."
New York legislators
are planning to hold
him to it, and were
aiming to set up a
sitdown with Obama
on the legislation,
sources confirmed.
But the President
still seemed
reluctant to embrace
the bill, noting he
had already done
more than the last
White House,
doubling funding for
treating ill
responders to $150
million next year.
"Keep in mind that
our budget already
significantly
increased funding
precisely for this
purpose, so I'm not
just talking the
talk - we've been
budgeting this as a
top priority," he
said.
Advocates for
finally caring for
Sept. 11's heroes
were cautiously
optimistic after a
rally at Ground Zero
yesterday demanding
the White House
listen.
"The fact that we
have his attention
and that it is now
in his dialogue is a
good thing," said
John Feal, who set
up the rally with
responders and
widows whose
husbands have died
since 9/11.
Obama's talk with
Democrats didn't
just offer
Gillibrand a chance
to shine. Other
endangered senators
got to ask
questions, too, but
the White House
insisted the
give-and-take wasn't
scripted.
Obama warned his
Senate allies
against becoming
timid after losing
their 60-vote
majority. "If
anybody is searching
for a lesson from
Massachusetts," he
said, "I promise you
the answer is not to
do nothing."
mmcauliff@nydailynews.com
With Kenneth R.
Bazinet
