Rogers repeatedly voted against funding for healthcare and treatment programs for those exposed to toxic conditions in the aftermath of 9/11. He claimed that healthcare benefits to first responders “jeopardizes the financial health of the United States.”
Rogers Twice Opposed Healthcare And Other Benefits To 9/11 First Responders And Survivors. According to The Guardian, “But, as critics have noted, Rogers has twice voted against healthcare and other benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors, congressional records show. He has also helped kill other bills that would have provided benefits and healthcare to first responders nationwide. Rogers, a former member of Congress, is vying for Michigan’s open US Senate seat in a tight race that could decide control of Congress during the next session.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Rogers Voted Against The 2010 James Zadroga Act Which Funded Treatment And Care For Those Exposed To Toxic Conditions In The Attack’s Aftermath. According to The Guardian, “Rogers was among Republicans who voted against the 2010 James Zadroga Act to fund health care for 9/11 first responders and survivors, which was used in part to treat and monitor 40,000 people who worked in toxic conditions in the attack’s aftermath. The bills’ funding also helped treat responders for over 50 types of cancer linked to exposures at Ground Zero.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Rogers Voted Against Additional Funding For Veterans’ Healthcare And First Responders In A 2002 Bill That Compensated NYC Schools For 9/11-Related Expenses; He Voted For A 2011 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill That Included Deep Cuts To Funding For State And Local First Responders And Terrorism Prevention Funding. According to The Guardian, “In 2002, Rogers voted against adding additional funding for veterans’ healthcare and first responders to a bill that compensated NYC schools for 9/11-related expenses. In 2011, Rogers voted for a homeland security appropriations bill that was controversial over its deep cuts to funding for state and local first responders, as well as terrorism prevention funding. Several Republicans voted against it because of those issues. In 2013 and 2014, Rogers voted against amendments for budget legislation that included billions in funding for first responders. And in 2013 he voted against a proposal to protect pensions for first responders.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Rogers Sent Fundraising Emails Which Criticized Dr. El-Sayed’s Comments On 9/11 And Falsely Claimed To Have Seen Osama Bin Laden’s Dead Body. According to The Guardian, “The revelation comes after Rogers sent an email to supporters criticizing El-Sayed over his 9/11 comments, and appeared to lie about seeing Osama bin Laden’s body. In a bold typed section of the email, Rogers wrote: ‘I saw the dead body of Osama bin Laden with my own eyes, knowing that together, we had delivered justice for America.’ But Rogers was not in Pakistan when Bin Laden was killed by US special forces, nor was he in the White House Situation Room, where then president Barack Obama and senior administration officials followed the raid.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Rogers’ Super PAC Launched An Ad Which Accused Dr. Abdul El-Sayed Of Giving “Comfort” To The Same “Hatred” Behind The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. According to Mediaite, “A Super PAC supporting Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers came out swinging with a new ad accusing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed of giving ‘comfort’ to the same ‘hatred’ behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The ad, which dropped on Wednesday, includes footage from 9/11 and discusses how the country ‘united’ after the attack. The ad eventually turns to El-Sayed and his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker.’” [Mediaite, 9/9/26]
John Feal, A First Responder Who Advocated And Lobbied For Legislation Supporting Benefit Programs And Was Injured In The 9/11 Recovery Effort, Personally Discussed The Legislation With Rogers. According to The Guardian, “That drew sharp criticism this week from John Feal, a 9/11 first responder who has advocated and lobbied for legislation supporting benefit programs, and who spent 11 weeks in the hospital after a steel beam fell on his foot at ground zero. Part of his foot was amputated. Feal told the Guardian he personally discussed the Zadroga legislation with Rogers on Congress’s floor during committee debate in which Feal testified.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Henry Yanez, A Retired Michigan Firefighter Who Went To New York City To Support Their Fire Departments After 9/11, Criticized Rogers For His Votes, “Shame On Him.” According to The Guardian, “Henry Yanez, a retired Michigan firefighter, now a city council member in Sterling Heights, a suburb of Detroit, who has endorsed El-Sayed, was among those who went to New York City to support their fire departments in the 9/11 attack’s wake. He criticized Rogers for his votes. ‘When you’re talking about the health and safety of our first responders, and now you’re going to kick the can down the road, you know – that’s a problem as far as I’m concerned,’ Yanez said. ‘Mike Rogers – shame on him.’” [Guardian, 9/10/26]
Rogers Declined To Comment. According to The Guardian, “The Rogers campaign did not respond to requests for comment.” [Guardian, 9/10/26]