It’s not just the military that is facing drastic cuts under sequestration — the funds established to provide health benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors will also lose millions under the automatic cuts.
A preliminary report by OMB shows that two programs under the Zadroga Act could lose $38 million total in 2013. The September 11 Victim Compensation Fund could see a $24 million cut and the World Trade Center Health Fund could see a $14 million cut.
Congress has exempted over 150 programs from the sequestration reductions, including the pensions to former presidents, but has not yet seen fit to protect the support for those who selflessly risked their well-being on 9/11. As Representative Peter King (R., N.Y.) said yesterday at a rally against the cuts, ”We have come too far and our 9/11 heroes have endured too much for this funding to be subjected to a bureaucratic reduction.”