Who We Are
After nearly a decade of Washington ignoring the thousands of injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors suffering from the toxins at Ground Zero, Congress was finally shamed into passing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010.
But that was not the end of the struggle.
That is why Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act Inc. was created by the unions and groups that worked to get Washington to finally respond to the health crisis facing so many and reopen the Victim Compensation Fund and create the World Trade Center Health Program. Our mission was to make sure the legislation would be renewed, extended, and fully funded.
Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act and a broad coalition of unions and advocates worked over the years to build overwhelming Congressional support for 9/11 responders and survivors and their families. In 2015, that work resulted in the Congress acting and making the World Trade Center Health Program open until 2090 and extending the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund for an additional five years.
In 2019, we again worked with a coalition of 9/11 responders, survivors, labor unions, advocates and dedicated public officials to develop overwhelming bipartisan support for fully funding the Compensation Program and authorizing it till 2090 as well by passing the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act.
In 2021, 9/11 responders and survivors faced potential service cutbacks starting in October 2024, due to an impending budget deficit caused by increasing costs and members facing the World Trade Center Health Program.
We could not let that happen.
Citizens again began the work to mobilize our supporters to deal with the impending deficit facing the World Trade Center Health Program because of the growing costs and numbers coming forward with illnesses and cancers related to their exposure to toxins at Ground Zero.
While that effort was partially successful and additional funds were provided in 2022 pushing back the date that cuts would be imposes but the program is still facing funding shortfalls in the coming years so work still remains to be done in protecting the programs created by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act Inc. is a 501(c)4.
Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act Inc. Board of Directors
President
Ryan Delgado, Chief of Staff, New York State AFL-CIO
Treasurer
Peg Seminario
Secretary
Micki Siegel de Hernández, Health and Safety Director for the Communications Workers of America (CWA), District 1
Rupa Bhattacharyya, Special Litigation Counsel, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown University Law Center
Jessica García, Retail, Assistant to the President, Wholesale and Department Store Union International
Thomas Hart, President/Business Agent/Health and Safety Officer, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 94
Frank Marchese, Jr., Executive Director New York State Laborers Health & Safety Trust Fund
Sean Michael, Battalion Chief in the FDNY and a Chiefs Representative in the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA)
James Slevin, Vice President, Uniformed Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 94, AFL-CIO
Staff
Ben Chevat, Executive Director
Suzy Ballantyne, Deputy Executive Director
Mailing Address
Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act, Inc.
c/o NYS AFL-CIO
100 South Swan Street
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: (646) 787-6184