Statement on the Inclusion of World Trade Center Health Program Funding in Budget Bill

Threat of Cuts to Health Program Averted

Bipartisan efforts of Congressman Andrew Garbarino, Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairman Brett Guthrie, Senators, Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer secure critical World Trade Center Health Program funding formula fix.

Today the leadership of the House and the Senate announced agreement on a final version of the year’s budget bill that will be put before both houses of Congress later this week. The bill will include a new funding formula for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP). The addition of this provision was made possible by the bipartisan efforts of Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), along with Congressmen Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Dan Goldman, (D-NY) Mike Lawler (R-NY) and others.

This provision, added to the legislation, will make a substantial change to the WTCHP funding formula.

That change resolves the current projected funding deficit that would have forced cuts in program services for sick and injured 9/11 responders and survivors starting in 2027. The new formula provides substantially more funding for the program going forward, and removes the threat of the expected cuts to services for 9/11 responders and survivors.

Benjamin Chevat, Executive Director of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act stated,

We are grateful for the continuing bipartisan efforts of Congressman Andrew Garbarino, Speaker Mike Johnson, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, Senators Gillibrand and Schumer, along with Members of the House, Nadler, Lawler and Goldman, among others. Their work will remove the threat of impending cuts in services that would have started in 2027. The new funding formula provides substantially more funding for the program.

While we will never rest until every 9/11 responder and survivor receives the care and monitoring that they need and deserve, the peace of mind brought by today’s announcement is good news for those that depend on the program. The impending funding crisis has been averted.

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