Eleven people who worked in rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have died in the six weeks since the most recent anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Another Ground Zero worker, Roy McLaughlin, died Sept. 10, one day before the anniversary. McLaughlin, 38, was a Yonkers police officer when the World Trade Center was attacked. Later promoted to a lieutenant, the married father of four young children was diagnosed with brain cancer five years ago.

The 12 recent deaths add a sense of urgency to efforts to renew legislation that provided medical care to rescue workers and other first responders who became ill as a result of their work at Ground Zero, advocates say. That legislation, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, expired Sept. 30...

...“Hopefully the consciousness of our colleagues has been pricked,’’ Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said. “The breadth and scope of who is in the pool is broader than New York, New Jersey and the metropolitan area.’’

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