Aid bill for 9/11 responders inches forward

New York lawmakers promise to keep pushing for a federal bill that would pay billions of dollars to people exposed to toxic World Trade Center dust.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Friday that after years of inaction, the Senate’s health committee will hold its first hearing on the matter June 29.

A House version of the bill has been endorsed by two committees, but has yet to come up for a vote.

The House bill would pay up to $8.2 billion to people who fear they might have been sickened by the dust, and set aside another $5.1 billion for medical care.

Critics say taxpayers would wind up shelling out billions to people with common health problems unrelated to the terror attacks.