Why is it the government’s responsibility to fund what should be a charity? Let the insurance companies pay for the healthcare they promised to provide for WRT the first responders (surely they had insurance available if nothing else work comp). Anyone that can successfully sue the government for malfeasance, should do so, then anyone still not covered any other way should come from a charity (true charity, not that at the end of a barrel or at the tip of a knife such as government largesse).
The 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund was originally set up by the U.S. government as a mechanism to keep people from suing anyone who might have had some direct or indirect culpability in the attacks -- particularly foreign Islamic governments and the airlines.
Anyone who collected money as a "victim" had to sign a waiver against any other legal claims they may have had.
There is a great Davey Crockett speech: "Not yours to give".
Crockett talks about people in need, and how decent people should help the needy to the extent they can. But he makes it clear that politicians picking the pockets of strangers to "generously" donate money to pet causes is not OK. The money is theirs to give.