Many Local 100 members have been seen by the staff at the Mount Sinai WTC clinic. This program provides for initial and follow-up screenings and the program is federally funded. The medical and support staff at the Mount Sinai World Trade Center Clinic have been wonderful. My members continually praise the care they receive there. Any thought to reduce funding to this primary source of care to make more available to satellite clinics is ill advised. Rather, an INCREASE in funding is called for.

However, an increase in funding for Screenings is not nearly enough. The members of my Local are utilizing our own medical benefits to cover the cost of actual care. In two years when we begin contract negotiations with the MTA they will point to the burdensome charges carried by our health plan - costs associated with Ground Zero work. The reality is that NYC Transit will seek to renegotiate DOWN our health coverage due directly to so many members utilizing care because of Ground Zero related illness.

Those of us who responded to Ground Zero are in crisis. The response to that crisis on a State and Federal level has been sorely lacking. Federal funds need to be allocated immediately to cover of health care for those who sacrificed at Ground Zero. Additionally, the MTA (a New York State agency) needs to realize that those of us who responded to Ground Zero must have immediate access to our Workers Compensation benefits without needless controversial.

Congressional leaders applauded the rescuers of Ground Zero. On September 13, 2001, President Bush appeared at Ground Zero and thanked us for being there when this country needed us. We ask the same thing Mr. President. Those of us who were there when our country needed us are now at peril. Will you and the Congress help us now that we are in need?

JW/hmcg opeiu-153 10-27-03

Mr. SHAYS. Thank you, Mr. Willis.
Mr. Graham. Thank you. We're all set.

Mr. GRAHAM. Hello. My name is John Graham. I am a health & safety instructor and officer of the New york District Council of Carpenters. In addition, I am an emergency medical technician. I participated in the initial response, rescue, recovery and clean up operation at the World Trade Center site, beginning the morning of September 11th and ending May 30, 2002.

On the morning of September 11th, I reported to the World Trade Center on behalf of the carpenter's union as a safety officer to assist and aid my fellow carpenters who were working at the World Trade Center who might be in need of my assistance due to the initial plane crash. Upon reaching the scene I was utilized by emergency personnel as an EMT. Stationed at the base of the North Tower I witnessed the more horrific events that I have ever seen in my life, the events that continue to haunt me to this day. I continued to perform my duties despite the appalling scene unfolding before me until I was momentarily incapacitated by the collapse of the World Trade Center.

With the collapse of the Twin Towers, I and those around me present on that day and those who came to the scene in the days and weeks that followed became victims of the worse chemical exposure events in the history of the United States.

On the day I was, I was engulfed in a toxic cloud composed of but not limited to pulverized asbestos, lead, mercury, cadmium, PCBs and benzene which are known to be highly corrosive to human lungs. This cloud that contaminated much of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, unbeknownst to the innocent people living and working in the neighborhoods surrounding the World Trade Center site. My exposure to this toxic soup of carcinogenics continued through the 262 days I worked at the World Trade Center site.

Almost immediately I began to feel the ill effects of the exposure. In the moments after the cloud of the collapse of the World Trade Center began to clear, I and those around me lucky enough to be alive, began to choke, gag and vomit from the forced inhalation of the toxic cloud. I had to rinse my face and eyes to try to find relief from the severe burning sensation I was feeling on my skin and my

eyes.

Within 2 weeks of my initial exposure, I began to develop severe respiratory symptoms requiring medical attention. Knowing Dr. Stephen Levin of Mount Sinai Occupational and Medical Center, and his expertise in these medical chemical exposures on a job site, I turned to him for his medical expertise.

Since October 2001 I have been receiving treatment from Dr. Levin and his staff at Mount Sinai for my respiratory and other exposures resulting from the chemical exposure at the World Trade Center site. I have been diagnosed with and continue to suffer from RADS, reactive airway disease, a chronic form of asthma resulting from the chemical exposure at the World Trade Center site. My rescue inhaler is my constant companion, despite the staff at Mount Sinai doing their best to help me with my medical problems as possible at this time.

In addition to my medical problems, I have been and continue to suffer from chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, for which I have been receiving treatment since October 2001.

Prior to September 11th, I was a healthy, hard working father, son and husband. Today, I am a chronically ill man who is anxious about my ability to support my family. I am no longer able to work as a carpenter. My chronic asthmatic condition makes it difficult for me to carry out my duties as a safety officer, father, son and husband. I often have to stop my activities to use my inhaler and catch my breath. It breaks my heart not to be able to run and play with my two daughters, as I once was able.

I'm not alone in my ill effects that I am suffering from the chemical exposure on September 11 and the days after. I am one of thousands. Despite the best treatment available, we continue to experience severe symptoms. And more research is needed to understand the diseases we suffer from and the treatments that will effectively bring relief.

I am not naive enough to think that anyone can cure us from our chemical exposure we have experienced, but some relief would be nice.

On September 11th, 2,811 people were killed. My greatest fear is that the number of fatalities from the World Trade Center attack will continue to rise as time goes on and those of us exposed to this toxic soup begin to die off from the long term effects of this deadly chemical exposure.

It is only with the support of Martin Daly, my boss, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the doctors and staff at Mount Sinai that I am able to continue and function at this time.

Thank you.

[The prepared statement of Mr. Graham follows:]

10-27-2003 04:12pm From-CARPENTERS LABOR TECH COLLEGE

2127279776

T-025

P 003/004

F-464

Hello my name is John Graham. I am a Health & Safety Instructor & Officer for the NY
District Council of Carpenters. In addition, I am an Emergency Medical Technician.
I participated in the initial response, rescue, recovery, and clean-up operation at the WTC
site, beginning the morning of September 11th, 2001 and ending on May 30th 2002.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I reported to the WTC site on behalf of the Carpenter's Union as a safety officer to assist and aid fellow carpenters who were working at the WTC site who might be in need of assistance due to the initial plane crash. Upon reaching the scene I was utilized by emergency personnel as an EMT stationed at the base of the North tower where I witnessed the most horrific events that I have ever seen in my life. Events that continue to haunt me to this day. I continued to perform these duties despite the appalling scene unfolding before me until I was momentarily incapacitated by the collapse of the WTC.

With the collapse of the twin towers, I and all of those present on that day and those who came to the site in the days and weeks that followed, became the victims of one of the worst chemical exposure events in the history of the United States of America.

On that day, I was engulfed by a toxic cloud composed of (but not limited to) pulverized asbestos, lead, mercury, cadmium, PCB's, and benzene which are known to be highly corrosive to human lungs. This cloud contaminated much of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, unbeknownst to the innocent people living and working in the neighborhoods surrounding the WTC site. My exposure to this toxic soup of carcino-genics continued throughout the 262 days that I worked at the WTC site.

Almost immediately I began to feel the ill effects of this exposure. In the moments after the cloud of the collapsed WTC began to clear, I and those around me, lucky enough to be alive, began to gag, choke, and vomit from the forced inhalation of the toxic cloud. I had to rinse my face and eyes to try to find relief from the severe burning sensation I was feeling on my skin and in my eyes.

Within two weeks of my initial exposure, I had begun to develop severe respiratory symptoms requiring medical attention. Knowing that Dr. Stephen Levin of Mt. Sinai's Occupational and Environmental Medical Center is an expert on chemical exposure on job sites, I turned to him for his medical expertise. Since October 2001, I have been receiving treatment from Dr. Levin and his staff at Mt. Sinai for my respiratory and other symptoms resulting from my chemical exposure at the WTC site.

I have been diagnosed with and continue to suffer from, RADS, reactive airway disease, a chronic form of asthma resulting from the chemical exposure at the WTC site. My rescue inhaler in my constant companion, despite the staff at Mt. Sinai doing their best to help me as much as is medically possible at this point in time.