With a vote of 97-2, the Senate passed a bill Tuesday that will fund the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund through 2090.

The fund was originally established in the months following the September 11 terrorist attacks to support the families of the victims killed, as well as survivors living with injuries.

The law, which required reauthorization, was expected to expire next year.

The fund has received more requests in recent years for serious illnesses related to the attacks and cleanup, according to CNN reporting.

The House approved the new legislation earlier in July, and President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill.

Comedian and former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, an ardent supporter of the first responders to the September 11 attacks, had heavily lobbied for the legislation, and testified on Capitol Hill alongside some of the first responders.

Sen. Rand Paul objected to the bill on the grounds that passing the legislation would require other expenditures to be cut, which delayed its passage in the Senate.

The fund is expected to cost $10.2 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The bill’s full title is “Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act,” named after three first responders who died from 9/11-related illnesses.

Share:
More In Politics
IRS Refunds Are Down 9 Percent From Last Year
Tax payers are getting less bang for their buck in 2023. The IRS said the government has so far issued $172 billion in refunds. That's down 9 percent from a year ago, and the average refund is down from roughly $3,2000 to $2,900. However, the overall number of people to get refunds is up 3 percent.
Kansas OKs Bill That Penalizes Doctors for Some Abortions
Doctors accused of not providing enough care to infants delivered alive during certain kinds of abortion procedures in Kansas could face lawsuits and criminal charges under a bill that won final approval Tuesday in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature.
EPA Estimates 9.2M Lead Pipes Carry Water Into Homes
Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the U.S., with more in Florida than any other state, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency survey that will dictate how billions of dollars to find and replace those pipes are spent.
Liberals Win Control of Wisconsin Supreme Court
The incoming majority is expected to rule on a challenge to the state's 1849 abortion ban. The current court, under a 4-3 conservative majority, came within one vote of overturning President Joe Biden’s win in the state in 2020.
Load More