Legislation

Residents at 125 Cedar St., whose windows are across the street from Ground Zero, continue to clean up their lofts six months after the terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center. They are wearing respirators to prevent contamination from debris and air pollution. The view from their windows show more dust and smoke rising from the ground as workers attempt to recover bodies and remove debris. 21 March 2002, NYC.

The World Trade Center Health Program was created by Congress in 2010 and was reauthorized in 2015 to remain open until 2090 after years of efforts by 9/11 responders and survivors to get Washington to recognize the health impacts of the toxins at Ground Zero that were impacting thousands. However, in coming years, the World Trade Center Health Program will not have enough funds to provide all the care that is needed for those still suffering the physical and mental impact of 9/11. This includes the responders and survivors who will be newly diagnosed with 9/11-associated cancers caused by their toxic exposures in the coming years.

The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) currently provides medical treatment and monitoring for over 120,000 9/11 responders and survivors from the World Trade Center and lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site, who live in every State and 434 out of 435 Congressional Districts.

Because of an impending budget shortfall, the World Trade Center Health Program will face service cuts to 9/11 responders and survivors starting in 2028, unless Congress takes action and provides the needed funding.

While the recent additional funding that was provided in the 2022 Omnibus spending bill, through the efforts of Senators Gillibrand and Schumer, did postpone the date that service cuts would go into effect by several years, Congress will still need to provide additional funds to stop the cuts to services and ensure that the World Trade Center Health Program is fully funded and able to provide its care to injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors.

To fix this problem Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) Cory Booker (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). along with Members of Congress Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)), Anthony D ’Esposito (R-NY), Dan Goldman ( (D-NY and 26 other Members of Congress have introduced bi partisan legislation, the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2023 HR.1294/ S.569

This legislation is needed to ensure that the slogan that we will never forget 9/11 is a reality and that 9/11 responders and survivors will continue to the get care that they need and deserve.

This legislation will address the projected funding shortfall and ensure that the World Trade Center Health Program will be fully funded going forward.

It also fixes an issue that has prevented all active-duty servicemembers, DOD civilians and other Federal responders who responded to the Pentagon and Shanksville crash sites from joining the World Trade Center Health Program.

This impending budget shortfall needs to be fixed and all responders to the Pentagon and Shanksville need to be able to be enrolled to ensure that the slogan that we will never forget 9/11 is a reality and that 9/11 responders and survivors will continue to the get care that they need and deserve.

Please join us in making sure your representative in the House or the Senate is a co-sponsor of the bill. You can check if your member of Congress is on the bill by going to our “Take Action” page, type in your address and see if your Representative is on the bill.

Bill Text

9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act

Bill Summary

Memo on 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2023

CRS Section by Section Memo on H.R. 1294 S. 569 March 6^th, 2023

Cosponsors of 2023 Legislation

List of Senate Sponsors S. 569

List of House Sponsors HR. 1294

Dear Colleagues

Garbarino, Nadler, D ’Esposito, Goldman Dear Colleague 911 Funding Correction Act February 27^th, 2023

Statistics

WTC Health Program Membership by State February 2023

WTC Health Program Membership by Congressional District February 2023

VCF Participation by State August 2022

Press Releases

December 22, 2022

Statement on the Adoption of the Gillibrand Amendment to the Omnibus Spending Bill Providing Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program

With this legislative amendment, the impact of the funding deficit will be delayed, which will allow the program to continue to welcome and serve injured responders and survivors—rather than beginning to turn them away in October 2024. 

December 20, 2022

Statement on the Release of an Agreed Omnibus Spending Bill that Does Not Contain Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program

What the Senate is saying is that they will not do the right thing unless injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors travel to Washington again and again, to walk their hallways to demand action.

News Articles

March 6, 2023 — The Hill — Some in Congress are forgetting the lingering health issues from the 9/11 attacks

Even 20 years later, the health issues associated with the 9/11 attacks continues to evolve and grow.

March 2, 2023 — Fox News — Sen. Gillibrand: Changes to 9/11 aid would cover first responders in Pennsylvania and Pentagon

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., join ‘Your World with Neil Cavuto’ to discuss bipartisan efforts to boost 9/11 health program aid.

March 1, 2023 — Work-Bites — Never Forget?!? 9/11 Heroes Are Still Fighting For Healthcare Following Gov’t Lies

New York labor unions are in the forefront of the latest drive to secure permanent funding for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program, which is set to run out of funding without Congressional action.

February 28, 2023 — NY Daily News — NY lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — unveil bill to close funding shortfall in 9/11 health program

The bill — meant to cover shortfalls the World Trade Center Health Program is expected to face starting around 2027 — aims to fix a funding formula that has not kept up as higher enrollment and costs surged.

February 28, 2023 — Newsday — WTC Health Program would get $2 billion more under proposal

A bipartisan group of Senate and House members will launch a campaign to pass a bill to cover the rest of the funding needed by the World Trade Center Health Program.

February 28, 2023 — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand — Gillibrand, Schumer, Garbarino, Booker, Menendez, Nadler, D’Esposito, Goldman, IAFF General President Edward Kelly, John Feal And 9/11 Advocates Announce Bipartisan Bill To Close Funding Gap In World Trade Center Health Program

Elected officials were joined by International Association of Fire Fighters General President Edward Kelly, 9/11 advocate John Feal, union representatives of NYPD and FDNY, and other responder and survivor advocates.

Editorial Support

March 1, 2023 — NY Daily News — Help for the 9/11 ailing: Congress can’t stall in passing bill for WTC responders and survivors

There was $1 billion added during the waning moments of last year by Congress, but that only put off the problem for a few years and the cuts now loom in 2027.

November 3, 2022 — NY Daily News — What Congress owes 9/11 first responders now

Cuts are unacceptable; cuts to this program are insulting.

October 23, 2022 — NY Daily News — Don’t leave them hanging: America must meet its obligation to those suffering 9/11 health ailments

Politicians so eager to stand by the fallen victims of 9/11 and their families are derelict in their obligation to the much larger group of still-living survivors and first responders

Letters in Support

Older Information

Legislation page for 2021- 2022 Funding Effort

Legislation Page for 2019 Effort to Permanently Reauthorize & Fund VCF

Last Modified: March 21, 2023