(The house passed it also – updates are below)
At 1:30 p.m. ET time today the Senate finally passed, by “unanimous” voice vote, a revised version of the health care bill for 9/11 first responders, officially known in the Senate as “S. 1334: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009“. The bill, which provides free medical care for the firefighters and first responders who are suffering long term effects from the toxic air at Ground Zero, was first introduced in the Senate June 24, 2009 and was passed by the House on September 29, 2010, but had not been voted on in the Senate until today. Several Republican Senators employed numerous tactics to delay or attempt to kill the bill, including Mitch McConnell, Peter King, and Tom Coburn.
The affirmative vote today followed a compromise that reduced the total amount allocated to first responders by $2 billion down to a total of $4.2 billion, and reduced the time frame for health care from a 10-year period to 5 years.
Since the Senate passed a modified version of the bill, the House will have to consider and vote on the Senate version.
We will update this article when we know more about what the House will do with the bill.
More information about our coverage of the bill.
================================
UPDATE @ 5:38 p.m. ET, December 22, 2010
CNN is reporting via Twitter:
9/11 first responders bill passes House 206-60 http://on.cnn.com/hbBAUF
And 168 did not bother to vote at all.
However, one Representative made an extraordinary effort to cast a vote, according to Chad Pergram, a reporter at Fox News:
At least two lawmakers flew back to vote: Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) who flew back from Puerto Rico where she was tending to her ailing mother.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) was the last member to come in and vote… just before they closed it around 5:38 pm.
She was wearing sweat pants and New Balance track shoes, no coat and crying.
I asked her why it was so important for her to come back.
“I was torn between two important things that I care about,” Velazquez said fighting back tears. “My mother and the 9-11 responders.”
Valazquez says her 90-year-old mother is in San Juan and suffering from bleeding ulcers.
Valazquez said her plane landed at 5:20 pm and she came directly to the Capitol to vote. She will return to Puerto Rico tomorrow morning.
Thank you Representatives Valazquez and Doyle!
The single representative from South Dakota, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D), must have been tied up at a Christmas party or something, since she didn’t bother to vote. But I imagine she was closer to D.C. than Rep. Valazqauez was.
I expect the President will sign the bill very soon, and then the aid can begin flowing to the injured firefighters and other first responders.
WHEW! Finally. Merry Christmas everybody.
====================================
The Senators took the coward’s way out and agreed to a “unanimous” voice vote. No doubt some were against it, but their votes were not recorded.
Below are lists of how the Representatives in the House voted today, according to opencongress.org: (Keep their positions in mind in November of 2012 when many of these will asking for YOUR vote to represent you for another two years.)
Democrats Voting ‘Aye’
Rep. Gary Ackerman [D, NY-5]
Rep. John Adler [D, NJ-3]
Rep. Jason Altmire [D, PA-4]
Rep. Robert Andrews [D, NJ-1]
Rep. Michael Arcuri [D, NY-24]
Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
Rep. John Barrow [D, GA-12]
Rep. Melissa Bean [D, IL-8]
Rep. Shelley Berkley [D, NV-1]
Rep. Timothy Bishop [D, NY-1]
Rep. Sanford Bishop [D, GA-2]
Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]
Rep. Leonard Boswell [D, IA-3]
Rep. Frederick Boucher [D, VA-9]
Rep. Corrine Brown [D, FL-3]
Rep. George Butterfield [D, NC-1]
Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
Rep. Michael Capuano [D, MA-8]
Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D, CA-18]
Rep. Russ Carnahan [D, MO-3]
Rep. Christopher Carney [D, PA-10]
Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]
Rep. Kathy Castor [D, FL-11]
Rep. Ben Chandler [D, KY-6]
Rep. Yvette Clarke [D, NY-11]
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5]
Rep. James Clyburn [D, SC-6]
Rep. Gerald Connolly [D, VA-11]
Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
Rep. Jim Costa [D, CA-20]
Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
Rep. Mark Critz [D, PA-12]
Rep. Joseph Crowley [D, NY-7]
Rep. Elijah Cummings [D, MD-7]
Rep. Kathleen Dahlkemper [D, PA-3]
Rep. Susan Davis [D, CA-53]
Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
Rep. Norman Dicks [D, WA-6]
Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]
Rep. Joe Donnelly [D, IN-2]
Rep. Michael Doyle [D, PA-14]
Rep. Steve Driehaus [D, OH-1]
Rep. Thomas Edwards [D, TX-17]
Rep. Donna Edwards [D, MD-4]
Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
Rep. Eliot Engel [D, NY-17]
Rep. Anna Eshoo [D, CA-14]
Rep. Bob Etheridge [D, NC-2]
Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
Rep. Chaka Fattah [D, PA-2]
Rep. Bill Foster [D, IL-14]
Rep. Barney Frank [D, MA-4]
Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D, TX-20]
Rep. Barton Gordon [D, TN-6]
Rep. Alan Grayson [D, FL-8]
Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
Rep. John Hall [D, NY-19]
Rep. Deborah Halvorson [D, IL-11]
Rep. Phil Hare [D, IL-17]
Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]
Rep. Martin Heinrich [D, NM-1]
Rep. Brian Higgins [D, NY-27]
Rep. James Himes [D, CT-4]
Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
Rep. Tim Holden [D, PA-17]
Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
Rep. Steny Hoyer [D, MD-5]
Rep. Jay Inslee [D, WA-1]
Rep. Steve Israel [D, NY-2]
Rep. Jesse Jackson [D, IL-2]
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
Rep. Henry Johnson [D, GA-4]
Rep. Paul Kanjorski [D, PA-11]
Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
Rep. Dale Kildee [D, MI-5]
Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
Rep. Larry Kissell [D, NC-8]
Rep. Ron Klein [D, FL-22]
Rep. Suzanne Kosmas [D, FL-24]
Rep. Frank Kratovil [D, MD-1]
Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D, OH-10]
Rep. James Langevin [D, RI-2]
Rep. Rick Larsen [D, WA-2]
Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
Rep. Sander Levin [D, MI-12]
Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]
Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
Rep. Ben Luján [D, NM-3]
Rep. Stephen Lynch [D, MA-9]
Rep. Daniel Maffei [D, NY-25]
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
Rep. Edward Markey [D, MA-7]
Rep. James Marshall [D, GA-8]
Rep. Jim Matheson [D, UT-2]
Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
Rep. Michael McMahon [D, NY-13]
Rep. Jerry McNerney [D, CA-11]
Rep. Kendrick Meek [D, FL-17]
Rep. Gregory Meeks [D, NY-6]
Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]
Rep. Bradley Miller [D, NC-13]
Rep. Alan Mollohan [D, WV-1]
Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
Rep. James Moran [D, VA-8]
Rep. Scott Murphy [D, NY-20]
Rep. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
Rep. Patrick Murphy [D, PA-8]
Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]
Rep. Grace Napolitano [D, CA-38]
Rep. Glenn Nye [D, VA-2]
Rep. David Obey [D, WI-7]
Rep. John Olver [D, MA-1]
Rep. William Owens [D, NY-23]
Rep. Frank Pallone [D, NJ-6]
Rep. William Pascrell [D, NJ-8]
Rep. Donald Payne [D, NJ-10]
Rep. Nancy Pelosi [D, CA-8]
Rep. Thomas Perriello [D, VA-5]
Rep. Gary Peters [D, MI-9]
Rep. Chellie Pingree [D, ME-1]
Rep. Jared Polis [D, CO-2]
Rep. David Price [D, NC-4]
Rep. Mike Quigley [D, IL-5]
Rep. Nick Rahall [D, WV-3]
Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]
Rep. Laura Richardson [D, CA-37]
Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
Rep. Steven Rothman [D, NJ-9]
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D, CA-34]
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger [D, MD-2]
Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
Rep. Mark Schauer [D, MI-7]
Rep. Adam Schiff [D, CA-29]
Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D, PA-13]
Rep. David Scott [D, GA-13]
Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]
Rep. Joe Sestak [D, PA-7]
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter [D, NH-1]
Rep. Brad Sherman [D, CA-27]
Rep. Albio Sires [D, NJ-13]
Rep. Ike Skelton [D, MO-4]
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D, NY-28]
Rep. Victor Snyder [D, AR-2]
Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
Rep. Harry Teague [D, NM-2]
Rep. Michael Thompson [D, CA-1]
Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2]
Rep. John Tierney [D, MA-6]
Rep. Dina Titus [D, NV-3]
Rep. Paul Tonko [D, NY-21]
Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]
Rep. Niki Tsongas [D, MA-5]
Rep. Christopher Van Hollen [D, MD-8]
Rep. Nydia Velázquez [D, NY-12]
Rep. Peter Visclosky [D, IN-1]
Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1]
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D, FL-20]
Rep. Diane Watson [D, CA-33]
Rep. Melvin Watt [D, NC-12]
Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
Rep. Anthony Weiner [D, NY-9]
Rep. Charles Wilson [D, OH-6]
Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
Rep. John Yarmuth [D, KY-3]
Republicans Voting ‘Aye’
Rep. Robert Aderholt [R, AL-4]
Rep. Steve Austria [R, OH-7]
Rep. Brian Bilbray [R, CA-50]
Rep. Roy Blunt [R, MO-7]
Rep. Michael Burgess [R, TX-26]
Rep. Shelley Capito [R, WV-2]
Rep. Michael Castle [R, DE-0]
Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R, UT-3]
Rep. Tom Cole [R, OK-4]
Rep. Charles Dent [R, PA-15]
Rep. David Dreier [R, CA-26]
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson [R, MO-8]
Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry [R, NE-1]
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen [R, NJ-11]
Rep. Scott Garrett [R, NJ-5]
Rep. Jim Gerlach [R, PA-6]
Rep. Peter King [R, NY-3]
Rep. Leonard Lance [R, NJ-7]
Rep. Christopher Lee [R, NY-26]
Rep. Frank LoBiondo [R, NJ-2]
Rep. Daniel Lungren [R, CA-3]
Rep. Tim Murphy [R, PA-18]
Rep. Todd Platts [R, PA-19]
Rep. Tom Reed [R, NY-29]
Rep. Dave Reichert [R, WA-8]
Rep. Michael Rogers [R, AL-3]
Rep. Thomas Rooney [R, FL-16]
Rep. Christopher Smith [R, NJ-4]
Rep. Glenn Thompson [R, PA-5]
Rep. Michael Turner [R, OH-3]
Rep. Frank Wolf [R, VA-10]
Democrats Voting ‘Nay’
Rep. Gene Taylor [D, MS-4]
Republicans Voting ‘Nay’
Rep. Todd Akin [R, MO-2]
Rep. Rodney Alexander [R, LA-5]
Rep. Michele Bachmann [R, MN-6]
Rep. Spencer Bachus [R, AL-6]
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R, MD-6]
Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R, FL-9]
Rep. Rob Bishop [R, UT-1]
Rep. John Boozman [R, AR-3]
Rep. Kevin Brady [R, TX-8]
Rep. Eric Cantor [R, VA-7]
Rep. Bill Cassidy [R, LA-6]
Rep. Mike Coffman [R, CO-6]
Rep. Michael Conaway [R, TX-11]
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart [R, FL-25]
Rep. Vernon Ehlers [R, MI-3]
Rep. John Fleming [R, LA-4]
Rep. Virginia Foxx [R, NC-5]
Rep. Trent Franks [R, AZ-2]
Rep. Robert Goodlatte [R, VA-6]
Rep. Tom Graves [R, GA-9]
Rep. Brett Guthrie [R, KY-2]
Rep. Ralph Hall [R, TX-4]
Rep. Jeb Hensarling [R, TX-5]
Rep. Walter Herger [R, CA-2]
Rep. Peter Hoekstra [R, MI-2]
Rep. Bob Inglis [R, SC-4]
Rep. Lynn Jenkins [R, KS-2]
Rep. Jim Jordan [R, OH-4]
Rep. Steve King [R, IA-5]
Rep. Jack Kingston [R, GA-1]
Rep. Steven LaTourette [R, OH-14]
Rep. Robert Latta [R, OH-5]
Rep. Jerry Lewis [R, CA-41]
Rep. Cynthia Lummis [R, WY-0]
Rep. Donald Manzullo [R, IL-16]
Rep. Tom McClintock [R, CA-4]
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R, MI-11]
Rep. John Mica [R, FL-7]
Rep. Jeff Miller [R, FL-1]
Rep. Sue Myrick [R, NC-9]
Rep. Pete Olson [R, TX-22]
Rep. Erik Paulsen [R, MN-3]
Rep. Bill Posey [R, FL-15]
Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R, MT-0]
Rep. Harold Rogers [R, KY-5]
Rep. Edward Royce [R, CA-40]
Rep. Steve Scalise [R, LA-1]
Rep. Jean Schmidt [R, OH-2]
Rep. Peter Sessions [R, TX-32]
Rep. William Shuster [R, PA-9]
Rep. Adrian Smith [R, NE-3]
Rep. Marlin Stutzman [R, IN-3]
Rep. Lee Terry [R, NE-2]
Rep. Todd Tiahrt [R, KS-4]
Rep. Frederick Upton [R, MI-6]
Rep. Greg Walden [R, OR-2]
Rep. Edward Whitfield [R, KY-1]
Rep. Addison Wilson [R, SC-2]
Rep. Rob Wittman [R, VA-1]
Democrats Voting ‘Abstain’ (did not vote)
Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
Rep. Brian Baird [D, WA-3]
Rep. Xavier Becerra [D, CA-31]
Rep. Howard Berman [D, CA-28]
Rep. Robert Berry [D, AR-1]
Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
Rep. John Boccieri [D, OH-16]
Rep. Allen Boyd [D, FL-2]
Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]
Rep. Bruce Braley [D, IA-1]
Rep. Bobby Bright [D, AL-2]
Rep. Travis Childers [D, MS-1]
Rep. Judy Chu [D, CA-32]
Rep. William Clay [D, MO-1]
Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]
Rep. Jerry Costello [D, IL-12]
Rep. Henry Cuellar [D, TX-28]
Rep. Lincoln Davis [D, TN-4]
Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
Rep. Artur Davis [D, AL-7]
Rep. Peter DeFazio [D, OR-4]
Rep. William Delahunt [D, MA-10]
Rep. Ted Deutch [D, FL-19]
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D, TX-25]
Rep. Brad Ellsworth [D, IN-8]
Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
Rep. Marcia Fudge [D, OH-11]
Rep. John Garamendi [D, CA-10]
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8]
Rep. Raymond Green [D, TX-29]
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez [D, IL-4]
Rep. Jane Harman [D, CA-36]
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin [D, SD-0]
Rep. Baron Hill [D, IN-9]
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa [D, TX-15]
Rep. Paul Hodes [D, NH-2]
Rep. Michael Honda [D, CA-15]
Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]
Rep. Steve Kagen [D, WI-8]
Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D, RI-1]
Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick [D, MI-13]
Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy [D, OH-15]
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick [D, AZ-1]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
Rep. Daniel Lipinski [D, IL-3]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D, CA-16]
Rep. Betsy Markey [D, CO-4]
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D, NY-4]
Rep. Mike McIntyre [D, NC-7]
Rep. Charles Melancon [D, LA-3]
Rep. Walter Minnick [D, ID-1]
Rep. Harry Mitchell [D, AZ-5]
Rep. Dennis Moore [D, KS-3]
Rep. Richard Neal [D, MA-2]
Rep. James Oberstar [D, MN-8]
Rep. Solomon Ortiz [D, TX-27]
Rep. Edward Pastor [D, AZ-4]
Rep. Ed Perlmutter [D, CO-7]
Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
Rep. Earl Pomeroy [D, ND-0]
Rep. Silvestre Reyes [D, TX-16]
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez [D, TX-23]
Rep. Bobby Rush [D, IL-1]
Rep. John Salazar [D, CO-3]
Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D, CA-47]
Rep. Linda Sánchez [D, CA-39]
Rep. Kurt Schrader [D, OR-5]
Rep. Heath Shuler [D, NC-11]
Rep. Adam Smith [D, WA-9]
Rep. Zachary Space [D, OH-18]
Rep. Jackie Speier [D, CA-12]
Rep. John Spratt [D, SC-5]
Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
Rep. Bart Stupak [D, MI-1]
Rep. John Tanner [D, TN-8]
Rep. Maxine Waters [D, CA-35]
Rep. Peter Welch [D, VT-0]
Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
Republicans Voting ‘Abstain’ (did not vote)
Rep. James Barrett [R, SC-3]
Rep. Joe Barton [R, TX-6]
Rep. Judy Biggert [R, IL-13]
Rep. Marsha Blackburn [R, TN-7]
Rep. John Boehner [R, OH-8]
Rep. Jo Bonner [R, AL-1]
Rep. Mary Bono Mack [R, CA-45]
Rep. Charles Boustany [R, LA-7]
Rep. Paul Broun [R, GA-10]
Rep. Henry Brown [R, SC-1]
Rep. Virginia Brown-Waite [R, FL-5]
Rep. Vern Buchanan [R, FL-13]
Rep. Dan Burton [R, IN-5]
Rep. Stephen Buyer [R, IN-4]
Rep. Ken Calvert [R, CA-44]
Rep. David Camp [R, MI-4]
Rep. John Campbell [R, CA-48]
Rep. Anh Cao [R, LA-2]
Rep. John Carter [R, TX-31]
Rep. Howard Coble [R, NC-6]
Rep. Ander Crenshaw [R, FL-4]
Rep. John Culberson [R, TX-7]
Rep. Geoff Davis [R, KY-4]
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart [R, FL-21]
Rep. Charles Djou [R, HI-1]
Rep. John Duncan [R, TN-2]
Rep. Mary Fallin [R, OK-5]
Rep. Jeff Flake [R, AZ-6]
Rep. Randy Forbes [R, VA-4]
Rep. Elton Gallegly [R, CA-24]
Rep. John Gingrey [R, GA-11]
Rep. Louis Gohmert [R, TX-1]
Rep. Kay Granger [R, TX-12]
Rep. Samuel Graves [R, MO-6]
Rep. Parker Griffith [R, AL-5]
Rep. Gregg Harper [R, MS-3]
Rep. Doc Hastings [R, WA-4]
Rep. Dean Heller [R, NV-2]
Rep. Duncan Hunter [R, CA-52]
Rep. Darrell Issa [R, CA-49]
Rep. Samuel Johnson [R, TX-3]
Rep. Timothy Johnson [R, IL-15]
Rep. Walter Jones [R, NC-3]
Rep. John Kline [R, MN-2]
Rep. Doug Lamborn [R, CO-5]
Rep. Thomas Latham [R, IA-4]
Rep. John Linder [R, GA-7]
Rep. Frank Lucas [R, OK-3]
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [R, MO-9]
Rep. Connie Mack [R, FL-14]
Rep. Kenny Marchant [R, TX-24]
Rep. Kevin McCarthy [R, CA-22]
Rep. Michael McCaul [R, TX-10]
Rep. Patrick McHenry [R, NC-10]
Rep. Howard McKeon [R, CA-25]
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R, WA-5]
Rep. Gary Miller [R, CA-42]
Rep. Candice Miller [R, MI-10]
Rep. Jerry Moran [R, KS-1]
Rep. Randy Neugebauer [R, TX-19]
Rep. Devin Nunes [R, CA-21]
Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
Rep. Mike Pence [R, IN-6]
Rep. Thomas Petri [R, WI-6]
Rep. Joseph Pitts [R, PA-16]
Rep. Ted Poe [R, TX-2]
Rep. Tom Price [R, GA-6]
Rep. Adam Putnam [R, FL-12]
Rep. George Radanovich [R, CA-19]
Rep. Phil Roe [R, TN-1]
Rep. Michael Rogers [R, MI-8]
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R, CA-46]
Rep. Peter Roskam [R, IL-6]
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R, FL-18]
Rep. Paul Ryan [R, WI-1]
Rep. Aaron Schock [R, IL-18]
Rep. James Sensenbrenner [R, WI-5]
Rep. John Shadegg [R, AZ-3]
Rep. John Shimkus [R, IL-19]
Rep. Michael Simpson [R, ID-2]
Rep. Lamar Smith [R, TX-21]
Rep. Clifford Stearns [R, FL-6]
Rep. John Sullivan [R, OK-1]
Rep. William Thornberry [R, TX-13]
Rep. Patrick Tiberi [R, OH-12]
Rep. Zach Wamp [R, TN-3]
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R, GA-3]
Rep. Bill Young [R, FL-10]
Rep. Donald Young [R, AK-0]
