Federal Gov’t. to Provide NYC $8.2 Billion in Aid

December 20, 2001

After lengthy negotiations the House and Senate have reached a compromise agreement which will provide New York with an additional $8.2 billion in federal emergency aid to help the city recover from the attacks on the World Trade Center.

In the days immediately following the attack Washington indicated it would provide as much as $20 billion to help rebuild new York, but as the memories of Sept. 11 faded so did the amounts. The $8.2 billion was approved as part of the Defense Appropriation Bill, and will be added to the approximately $3 billion the city has already received to cover rescue efforts and to begin the initial phase of cleaning up the debris at ground zero.

The funds will be used to pay for the continuing removal of the debris, to repair roads and rail infrastructure, grants for small businesses hit by the attacks, to aid hospitals, and to help injured and displaced persons and companies. Some of the funds will be allocated to victims in Virginia and Pennsylvania where the other attacks on Sept. 11 occurred.

New York’s elected officials, including Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, vowed to continue pressing for payment of the full $20 billion, but there has been no indication when, or even if, these additional funds will be authorized.

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