Carolyn Maloney: “The BP oil spill has caused a great emergency along our gulf coast. I hope as the response to it continues, we never…”

“The BP oil spill has caused a great emergency along our gulf coast. I hope as the response to it continues, we never forget the lessons of the Ground Zero workers. In the wake of 9/11, thousands of men and women labored tirelessly. Driven by a sense of urgent purpose, safety precautions were not taken and assurances were given that proved to be false. The health of far too many of those who worked on that toxic pile, they suffered long-term health consequences. Now, in the gulf, men and women are once again being exposed to a toxic sea of elements. After just 40-some days, there are already reports that workers have suffered from exposure to the oil. And this cleanup will go on for years. The time to address the issue of the health of the cleanup workers is now, before they lose it.”