Recent Blog Posts

I am thrilled to announce that this afternoon, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly (402-12) passed a 70 year extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). Congresswoman Maloney, who spearheaded the bi-partisan bill to extend and fully fund the VCF, was wearing the coat that Ret. FDNY Deputy Chief Richie Alles and I gave her […]

While we still wait for the Congressional Budget Office to announce the cost of the proposed bill, we are thrilled to report that sponsors of the pending legislation have added recently departed Detective Luis Alvarez and Firefighter Ray Pfeifer, deceased, to the name of the pending bill that would permanently extend and fully fund the […]

On America’s 243rd birthday, we have so much to be grateful for. Over 70 Senators and 300 Representatives in the House have now agreed to co-sponsor the bipartisan legislation that would fully fund and permanently extend the Victim Compensation Fund. I assure you that we won’t stop fighting until the battle is won. It is […]

If you were a first responder, construction worker or anyone who was in the World Trade Center area in the aftermath of the September 11 attack, firefighter Steven “Bubba” Pascale has an important message for you: Get checked. During a CT scan of his lungs, doctors identified a large tumor on his right kidney. A […]

Father’s Day is an emotional day for all – whether you are celebrating a living father, lost father, or any other type of father. Michael Barasch joined Shelli Sonstein along with Bridget Gormley and Rob Tilearcio who both lost their fathers to the 9/11 toxins. As Shelli always says, she wants these heroes to be […]

Firefighters and others who were exposed to dangerous particulate matter at the World Trade Center site should also be aware that certain medical conditions associated with heart disease, such as abdominal obesity and high blood pressure, can increase the likelihood of developing lung problems. What doctors call “metabolic syndrome” has long been associated with an […]