Senate Passes 9/11 Victim's Compensation Fund Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS4) - The U.S. Senate approved a bill to extend the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, 97-2. The vote on Tuesday sends the bill to the president's desk for signature.

The bill ensures benefits for the next 70 years to those who have illnesses or injuries from being at ground zero. More than 60 members of Colorado's Task Force One were called to ground zero in 2001.

West Metro Division Chief, Steve Aseltine, was part of that team and says they all considered what might be in the air.

"We did everything that we possibly could with the technology we had at the time in the circumstances to protect ourselves as best as we could," he told CBS4's Political Specialist Shaun Boyd.

Last year, West Metro Engineer Aaron Lybarger died from cancer linked to toxins he inhaled while responding. More than 260 Coloradans are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. More than 160 have asked for help.

Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner is one of the lead sponsors of the bi-partisan bill.