Rivals Kirsten Gillibrand, Carolyn Maloney put aside differences to aide 9/11 victims

Michael Mcauliff
Daily News
June 24th 2009

WASHINGTON - Rival New York politicians are putting aside their distaste for one another in hopes of getting the U.S. Senate to embrace a major bill to help the ailing heroes of Sept. 11.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand will team up on a 9/11 health bill Wednesday with Mayor Bloomberg and key members of the House, including Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) and Pete King (R-Long Island) - who would both like to unseat the recently appointed senator in 2010.

The measure, which would re-open the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, among other things, is similar to legislation pending in the House that's a cherished cause of Maloney and King.

"All of us must put our political interests aside," King said, explaining why he'd work with a woman he may challenge in the fall. "The health of our 9/11 first responders and workers is too important."

House lawmakers, often led by King and Maloney, have passed numerous 9/11 aide bills over the years, only to see many of them die in the Senate.

They were encouraged that Gillibrand also has the New York's senior senator, Chuck Schumer, on board, and well as Sens. Bob Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, of New Jersy.

"I'm glad that the senators from New York and New Jersey have come together to sponsor this relief for 9/11 responders, residents, workers and students who were exposed to the toxins at Ground Zero," said Maloney, who predicted the House would come through with its version before the next anniversary of the attacks.

So, in spite of the competing ambitions, the rivals climbed on board with Gillibrand.

"We have an undeniable moral obligation to help the heroes of 9/11 and all others exposed, and failure to do so may have long-lasting implications on future response efforts," Gillibrand said.

She even had praise for her competitors, and the woman she succeeded, Secretary of State Clinton.

"I commend my predecessor, Secretary Clinton, as well as my colleagues in both the Senate and the House, who invested tremendous effort over several years to get us to this point," Gillibrand said. "Today we are taking a major step toward fulfilling our obligation, but we have a lot of work left to do."