For Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Statement by AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee on Bush's Promise to America's First Responders
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, the nation's largest public employees and health care workers union, calls upon the President to fulfill his commitment to our nation's public servants and restore funding to help states and communities train and equip first responders and screen and monitor the health of those who worked at ground zero.
The President should not mislead the American people by claiming that he has improved homeland security. The Bush record shows that he has abandoned America's first responders. The much talked about $3.5 billion in funding for first responders is actually a bookkeeping trick that looks a lot like something from the Arthur Anderson playbook. The numbers continue to change in the ledger, with no net increase in the amount of federal funding for our cities, counties and states.
On September 11, 2001 public servants-including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, police officers, fire fighters and others-answered the call to duty and responded to terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in the Pennsylvania countryside. Their commitment to saving lives sent them into harms way.
The security of our nation is a top priority, but our nation can only be secure if we are well prepared, and the only way that can happen is if our first responders have the necessary equipment and are well trained to meet the challenges that face our nation.
AFSCME has more than 1.3 million members nationwide.
Related Documents:
- Ground Zero Speech of Joseph Conzo, AFSCME Member and EMT with NYC Fire Dept. — 1/28/2003
- 9/11 Rescuers Say: Please Hear Us — press release from Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), 1/28/2003
- Mount Sinai to Announce Preliminary Findings of Medical Health Screening Program for WTC-Site Responders: Analysis Reveals Over 50% of Responders Experience Pulmonary, ENT and/or Mental Health Symptoms One Year Following NY Terrorist Attacks — press release from Mt. Sinai Medical Center, NY, 1/27/2003
