Connecticut’s 9/11 first responders say they are grateful that the Victim Compensation Fund is finally permanently funded.
For years, first responders from Connecticut traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress to reauthorize the fund. Now, they'll never have to make that trip again.
The White House says President Trump will permanently extend the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund on Monday.
Today at the state Capital, Mark Greczkowski, an emergency medical technician, thanked Congress for permanently funding the VCF.
"We'd do it again in a heartbeat, in a moment's notice," says Greczkowski. “It's what we do."
The fund had already helped more than 300 people from Connecticut – about half suffer from cancer.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal says the fund would have begun cutting payments to 50% for exiting claims and 70% for new claims.
Brian Foley, of the Connecticut State Police says, "This bill is a very small token of thanks to everyone who gave ultimate sacrifice, who walked into Hell, didn't look over their shoulder, and didn't think twice about ever going back."
There's no cap on how much money the fund can payout. Sen. Blumenthal thinks it could total tens of billions of dollars.