A group of advocates consisting of 9/11 first responders and the widows of their colleagues gathered in Hauppauge Wednesday to garner support in their fight to get the 9/11 health bill, officially known as the Zadroga Bill, passed through Congress.

John Feal (at podium), rallies in support of the passing of the Zadroga Bill, which would provide medical care and compensation to 9/11 first responders. The bill has been in political limbo for five years (Joel Ciaro/LI Press)

Jennifer McNamara, whose husband John logged more than 500 hours at Ground Zero and died of cancer in 2009, expressed her grief and frustration at the rally.  “My husband died believing this bill would pass,” she said, joined by her young son, Jack.

If passed, the bill, named after the late NYPD Detective James Zadroga, would secure $7.4 billion to provide health care and compensation for thousands of first responders suffering from illnesses after working in the toxic rubble following the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. McNamara believes that if the bill had been passed already, her husband may still be alive today.

John Feal, who has dedicated the past five years of his life to fervently rally for the bill and founded of the advocacy group the FealGood Foundation, warned members of the House of his growing frustrations.

“Nine years we’ve waited while over 900 people have died and gotten sicker,” he said. “We will not wait another year. We will not wait another six months. Our bill gets passed in September. Mark my words.”

Feal, flanked by fellow 9/11 first responders and widows whose lives have been damaged by mounting health problems throughout the last nine years, is planning a rally in Washington D.C. on Sept. 15 to continue to call for the bill’s passage.

“There’s a storm of heroes coming [to D.C.] and we’re not taking it anymore,” Feal exclaimed to an eruption of applause.

Kenny Specht is an ex-firefighter who retired from Ladder 289 in Queens due to his severe health problems, including thyroid cancer, which developed after his work at Ground Zero. He has since created the NYC Firefighter Brotherhood Foundation, a not-for-profit network where sick firefighters and their families can find support and assistance.

“We are here nine years after the attack on our nation, still begging for our lives,” said Specht, who is still battling cancer. “Let’s hope we bring witnesses to Washington D.C. and not an angry mob.”