Add The New York Post on Google The GOP roasted Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, calling them 9/11 hypocrites for voting against a budget bill that included funding for the World Trade Center health program.
The Long Island pair voted with most Democrats in a vote against federal bill HR 7148, which passed on Feb. 3 in a narrow 217-214 vote before it was signed by President Trump to end a four-day partial government shutdown.
But both Suozzi and Gillen had bragged in a January press release about supporting a bipartisan spending package to “Secure Lifetime Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program,” the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee noted.
Just days later, they voted against the compromise bill from the Senate that included funding for the program.
“Two-Faced Tom Suozzi and Lying Laura Gillen stabbed 9/11 heroes and survivors in the back,” said NRCCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole.
“And why? They did it to bend the knee to their extreme Party that embraces those who say America ‘deserved 9/11.’ Their vote is disqualifying, and Suozzi and Gillen will answer for it in November.”
The legislation provided annual funding for the Department of War — formerly called the Defense Department — as well as the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
Dems had largely fought the Trump-backed spending plan because of a standoff over Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency that was facing growing scrutiny following the administration’s ramped up illegal immigration rounds and the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of American nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
But 21 Democrats crossed party lines in support, including New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer and prominent South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn.
The law funds the World Trade Center Health program, which provides medical coverage and care to 9/11 responders and survivors.
In addition, the law updates the program’s formula through the year 2040 to help keep up with rising medical costs as more people get sick from toxic exposure decades after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that toppled the WTC’s Twin Towers.
The Suozzi campaign dismissed the Republicans’ attack as a partisan cheap shot, focusing on one aspect of a massive spending bill.
Suozzi faces off in a rematch from former Republican Assemblyman Michael LiPetri in the 3rd House District that includes parts of Nassau County and Queens. He defeated LiPetri by just 3 percentage points in a squeaker two years ago.
“This week Congressman Suozzi unveiled his Five-Point ‘American Affordability Plan’ in Mineola, with 16 Mayors, including 5 Republican mayors, endorsing his reelection,” said Suozzi campaign advisor Kim Devlin. “At the same time, his opponent was in Texas playing party politics.
“The contrast couldn’t be clearer: Suozzi was focused on the people he represents and lowering costs; his opponent was focused on partisan politics.”
The Suozzi campaign cited nearly a dozen actions he took over the years to support the WTC Health Program and 9/11 victims.
Gillen, who is seeking a second-term in Nassau’s 4th House District, is facing a from by Republican Jeanine Driscoll, the tax collector for the town of Hempstead.
A Gillen spokesperson shot back at Republicans for trying to “politicize” 9/11, calling the GOP committee’s comments “absolutely reprehensible.”
“This specious attack is especially shameful given that Rep. Gillen, like many New Yorkers, lost many friends that day, was herself exposed to the toxic air downtown and has been a staunch, bipartisan advocate for the 9/11 community in Congress,” the spokesperson said and cited more than a dozen instances of Gillen advocating for 9/11 survivors and victims.
As the Post recently reported, the number of 9/11 cancer victims has skyrocketed 1,680% over the past decade — fueled by rare variations of the disease, according to new statistics released by the federal World Trade Center Health program.
And for the first time, the number of cancer cases among survivors who resided, worked or attended school near Ground Zero has now surpassed the amount of emergency responders such as firefighters and police who had prolonged exposure, statistics show.
