NEW YORK, NY March 21, 2007 —Mayor Bloomberg visits Washington today. Later this morning, he'll deliver testimony on Capitol Hill on the health impacts of 9/11. This is part of Bloomberg's ongoing effort to increase funds for the treatment of health problems related to the terrorist attacks. WNYC’s Fred Mogul has more.

Federal money has gradually been running out, as demand for medical attention has grown. The city maintains that Washington should expand funding for work being conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital, Bellevue Hospital and elsewhere.

Bloomberg will be testifying in front of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy. Kennedy and fellow committee member Hillary Clinton have submitted a bill calling on Congress to set aside nearly $2 billion for ongoing treatment, monitoring and medical research.

Bloomberg also wants Congress to transform a $1 billion fund it set aside for insurance liability into a Victim Compensations Fund that could award damage claims through an administrator, rather than by lawsuit. For WNYC, I’m Fred Mogul.