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Nowadays, it's rare that anything of significance in the U.S. Senate passes on abipartisan basis never mind by a 94-4 vote.It's especially rare that anything having to do with the World Trade Center Health Program gets that kind of support.So, the Senate's near-unanimousbacking ofan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would add $676 million to the health program iscertainly worthapplauding.

The health program provides assistance to more than124,000 first responders and other survivors who have been sickened or still could get sickdue to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The amendmentimportantly helps to address loomingmonetary shortfalls, whileprovidingfunds to allow all first responders at the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, some of whom previously were omitted,to join.

The four Republicans who voted against the amendment Sens. Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Markwayne Mullin and Tommy Tuberville all promiseyear after yearto "Never forget." And yet,they shamefully did.

For the amendment's many supporters, there's more to do.Come September, the House and Senate will have to reconciletheir versionsof the contentious defense funding bill;hopefully, the WTC amendment will survive. But even if successful, that is still atemporary fix, justanother smallpiece of a still-unfinished puzzle.

The thousands who depend upon the health programare still waiting for Congress to make it fully funded, so that it no longer depends on temporary influxes of money to keep it whole.Efforts failed late last year to fix the funding formula to avoidgaps leftby inflation and, sadly, a higher number of participants than anticipated. Since then, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with Rep. Andrew Garbarino,have done what they could, piece by piece, to keep the program going, to buy time.

But time is what our first responders and other survivorsdon't have. And as more time passes, it becomes easier to forget. To forget the acrid stench,that mix of jet fuel and burning steel, concrete and plastic. To forgetthe toxic smoke and soot and debristhat filled the lungs of the residents andworkers running from the burning buildings and the first responders who ran into the fire. To forget the thousands who spent months at Ground Zeroand since became sick and died.

Advocates notethat they're now working with some congressional staffers who were infants or not even born when the attacks occurred. And as more of our 9/11 first responders get sick and die, the fight for those who are left will become more difficult.

The political battles have gone on too long. Come Sept. 11, the federal lawmakers who again will proclaim "Never Forget" should make the needed fixes and end the fight for good.

MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL BOARDare experienced journalists who offer reasonedopinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.

By The Editorial Board

Members of the editorial boardare experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.

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Congress should fix the 9/11 health fund for good - Newsday