Gillibrand Changes Minds

The lead story in today’s New York Times, “Congress Passes 9/11 Health Bill,” is remarkable in two respects, the success of the legislation itself and the impact of New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in getting it passed.

The bill will provide $4.3 billion over a five-year period for first responders and others who were sickened by the toxic brew of vapors after 9/11, a poisonous mixture of the molten building and who knows what else. Again, the Republicans seem to have taken the uncompassionate side, trying to reduce the amount of relief as much as possible. In fact, it was remarkable that right after the legislation suceeded, when Democratic Senators came into a room to celebrate, the attendees chanted, “U.S.A., U.S.A.,” a cheer Republicans previously liked to claim for their own.

The second remarkable element of this story involves the tireless efforts of the junior Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand, in getting it passed. I admit that I was originally opposed to her nomination as I’ve been a long-time Kennedy fan, and Caroline Kennedy in particular, who was also considered for the seat and treated poorly by Governor David Paterson in the process. But Ms. Gillibrand deserves kudos for her persistence on this legislation and apparently many other bills as well.