To Governor Paterson, Speaker Silver, Members of the New York State Senate and Assembly,

We commend the state of New York for passing legislation that extends, until 8/14/08, the time for "Rescue and Recovery Workers" to file for Workers Compensation benefits for injuries sustained while working at the World Trade Center.

Unfortunately this law does not extend protection to the Photographers, Journalists, Reporters, Producers, Correspondents and others in the media who covered the attack on 9/11 and for months afterwards and were exposed to similar health and environmental issues faced by Rescue and Recovery Workers.

The important work that Journalists performed help on 9/11 and for months afterwards helped to inform the public, minimize panic and record history. We feel that Photographers, Journalists, Reporters, Producers, Correspondents and others in the media have encountered the same health issues as rescue and recovery workers and should be treated equitably when it comes to health challenges and care issues resulting from 9/11 exposure.

The undersigned request that the Governor, State Senate and Assembly introduce, support and pass legislation that will extend the ability to file for Worker's Compensation benefits to those Photographers, Journalists, Reporters, Producers, Correspondents and others in the media who suffer or might suffer from health issues arising from our exposure at the World Trade Center or related sites.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned



David Handschuh, NY, NY
New York Daily News

Brendan McDermid, NY, NY
Reuters

Charlie Samuels, NY, NY
Freelance

Gary He, Brooklyn, NY
NYDN Freelance

Ray Stubblebine, Oradell, NJ
Freelance for Reuters

William Perlman, Newark, NJ
The Star-Ledger

Todd Maisel, Brooklyn, NY
New York Daily News

Todd Maisel, Brooklyn, NY
New York Daily News

Jack Hawkins, Burbank, California
NBC News

keith silverman, mays landing, new jersey
abc television

Craig Warga, Jackson Heights, NY
New York Daily News

Michael Adaskaveg, Hampton,, NH
Boston Herald

James Purcell, Middletown, NJ
The Courier

Richard Drew, New York, NY
Associated Press

Paul makarushka, Aurora, CO
Freelance now, NBC then

Allan Tannenbaum, New York, NY
Self

Edward Betz, Ronkonkoma, NY
Freelance/AP

Gary Fabiano, Washington, DC
Photojournalist/Freelance

Frank Ucciardo, NYC, ny
CBS News

Thomas Monaster, N.Y., N.Y.
New York Daily News

Shelley Triol, Indianapolis, IN
(Former Employer) WTHR-TV

Steve Simon, New York, NY
Freelance

Andrew Mills, Newark, NJ
The Star-Ledger

JASON SZENES, NEW YORK, NY
EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

Andrew Mills, Newark, NJ
The Star-Ledger

Heidi Schumann, San Francisco, CA
freelance- hsfoto

Andrea Mohin, New York, NY
The New York Times

RUTH FREMSON, NEW YORK , NY
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Ricky Flores, Cortlandt , Manor
The Journal News

catherine Leuthold, Waldoboro, Me
Independant

Kathy Willens, New York, NY
Associated Press

Peter Foley, New York, New York
freelance

Dennis O'Keefe, Dunellen, NJ
WNBC TV

Richard Harbus, Tarrytown, ny
freelance

Gregory P. Mango, Brooklyn, NY
New York Post

Noah Murray, Newark, NJ
The Star Ledger

Keith Meyers , Oceanport, NJ
N/A

Thomas Franklin, Ramsey, NJ
The Record

Prue Clarke, New York, NY
freelance

Aristide Economopoulos, Jersey City, NJ
The Star-Ledger

Robert Sciarrino, Newark, NJ
THE STAR-LEDGER

Robert Sciarrino, Newark, NJ
THE STAR-LEDGER

Neil Astrow, NY, NY
WNBC TV Channel 4

Gulnara Samoilova, New York, NY
(Former Staff) Associated Press

Christina Summers, New York, NY
(former employer) WPIX-TV

Don Mathisen, New York, NY
Progressive Radio Network

James Fleischmann, NYC, NY
WCBS-TV

Bruce Cotler, Brooklyn, NY
Freelance

Marc Hermann, Brooklyn, NY
NY Daily News - Freelance

Michael Barbagallo, Houston , Texas
KHCW Houston (at WPIX on 9/11)

Jonathan Fine, Bellmore , NY
CW 11 / WPIX TV

Cynthia Gordon, Kokomo, IN
Freelance

Jonathan Smith, New York, NY
Freelance

Carl Martin, New York, New York
Self employed

Jane Tyska, Oakland, CA`
The Oakland Tribune

Jonathan Fine, Bellmore , NY
WPIX-TV

Meri (Meryl) Simon, Berkeley, CA
San Jose Mercury News

Victoria Arocho, Lincoln, RI
Associated Press

Sander Kean, Miami Beach, FL
Free lance

Tim van Beveren, Cologne, Germany
WDR German Television / TV 3 Switzerland

Michelle Stewart, Anchorage, AK
unaffiliated

Warren Zinn, Miami Beach, FL
Former Army Times Publishing Co.

JOHN WEITZMAN, NY, NY
KINGWORLD/INSIDE EDITION

michael sibilia, hopewell jct, ny
self

Monika Graff, New York, NY
self

Ramon Olivo, New York, NY
Freelance

Joanne Lee, San Jose, CA
San Jose Mercury News

Jim MacMillan, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Daily News

Michael Fernandez, palmyra, pa
The Patriot-News

Scott Wallace, Washington, DC
freelance

Vincent DiSalvio, West Nyack, New York
The Journal News

ANGELO RIVERA 3, NEW YORK, N.Y.
INDEPENDENT

Michael Sofronski, NY, NY
NY Post

Dan Callister, Astoria, NY
Freelance

Jim Peithman, Belle Harbor, NY
CNN at the time

Krista Niles, Tucson, AZ
Self-employeed

Tanya Braganti, New York, NY
freelance

Lyle Owerko, New York, NY
Freelance

Lauren Glassberg, New York, NY
WABC-TV

Robert McMahan, New York, NY
Robert Mcmahan Photography

Mario Tama, New York, NY
Getty Images

Beth Harpaz, Brooklyn, NY
AP

howard rumbrg, New York, NY
The Associated Press

Lorenzo Ciniglio, New York, NY
Freelance

Stephani Shelton, Kinnelon, NJ
Freelance

Michael O'Kane, Glendale, NY
Freelance

BvpwocfpkN gkRXMpHQhV, eBxrltyj, aUtgrvFiiXUyYihRL
hbktgrfiniRLBmu

Robert Watson, Greensboro, NC
Robert Christopher Photography

Anthony Lloyd, Rex, GA
Powell Goldstein LLP

Ben Martin, Salisbury, NC
Image Press Photos, Ltd.

Lawrence White, NYC, NY
Freelance - The Villager Newspaper

Bert Spangemacher, Long Island City, NY
Freelance: stern Magazine,Germany

Aaron Fineman, New York, NY
Freelance

Allison Joyce, new york, new york
Freelance

Gerti Schoen, New York, NY
European MEdia

Frank Ucciardo, NY, NY
CBS News