Sept. 11 rescue and recovery workers who are waiting for the passage of the 9/11 health care bill fear they may have to wait even longer, despite the fact that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill last week.

The bill must now go before the U.S. Senate, which has yet to schedule a vote on the issue. Only after passage by the Senate will the bill go before President Barack Obama.

For former Peekskill detective Charlie Wassel, the passage can?t come soon enough. He suffers from a rare lung cancer that has spread to his spine and confined him to a wheelchair. He must spend $7,000 a month on medications.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has said she plans to fast track the bill so that it can be voted on as soon as possible.

For now, Wassel?s friends are holding fundraisers to help support his medical bills and medication costs.

House passes 9/11 health bill to help sick workers