Public Employee Press

Congress honors Roberts for support of 9/11 Act

Congress member Carolyn Maloney began a public forum for the Sept. 11 Victims Compensation Fund Jan. 30 by honoring DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts for her work in the campaign to provide compensation and health care for responders and cleanup crews who have developed illnesses related to their work at Ground Zero.

Maloney issued a framed plaque to Ms. Roberts and noted that the text will appear in the Congressional Record. "We have been encouraged and inspired by her work and want to recognize all of this selfless labor," Maloney said.

In accepting the honor, Roberts invited DC 37 Safety and Health Director Lee Clarke to join her at the podium. "I want to thank Congresswoman Maloney for this award, but it's not just for me," said Roberts. "I had a very hardworking staff. Lee Clarke was doing this work and, when she got stuck, she would call me. I want to recognize her."

Years of effort now paying off

Now that the Victims Compensation Fund has begun issuing the first payments to 9/11 responders, and the federal 9/11 Health and Compensation Act is in place - a campaign that took eight long years and a tremendous amount of organizing - the Congressional representatives who sponsored the legislation are honoring the work of the leaders who made it happen.