Legislation
The Need for Legislation Explained
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 affecting thousands, the World Trade Center Health Program was finally created by Congress in 2010 and was reauthorized in 2015, to remain open until 2090.
The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) currently provides medical treatment and monitoring for over 132,000 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.
However, because of increasing medical costs and increasing numbers of ill responders and survivors coming forward the funding formula for the World Trade Center Health Program will not provide enough funds to cover 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.
Also as is evident from recent studies, such as the recent paper that reports potentially increased levels of dementia in 9/11 responders, more research needs to be funded into the impact of the toxins at Ground Zero.
Unless action is taken to deal with the impending budget shortfall, the World Trade Center Health Program will be facing service cuts to 9/11 responders and survivors unless Congress acts and provides the needed funding.
For example, if no action is taken it is likely that the program would have to start limiting new responders and survivors who may be stricken with 9/11 cancers from enrolling in the program starting in October of 2027 because of the program deficit, with cuts in services to members of the program in the years after that.
There have been efforts in Congress to resolve this issue and get the program the funding it needs. First, with an additional billion dollars of funding that was provided in the 2022 Omnibus spending bill, through the efforts of Senators Gillibrand and Schumer.
And again, in July of 2023, when Senators Gillibrand, Schumer were joined by Senator Mike Braun of (R-IN) in an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that provided an additional $444 million in funding for the program and corrected the problem that some Pentagon and Shanksville responders, including those that were active-duty Military could not join the Health Program.
While these efforts 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.
9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024
To fix this problem Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY), Robert Casey (D-PA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mike Braun (R-IN), along with Members of Congress Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Dan Goldman (D-NY) along with other members, introduced new bi-partisan legislation, the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024 HR..9101/S. 4724.
This legislation would:
- Provide funding to prevent cuts in services and deal with the program’s projected budget deficit over the next ten years.
- Fix funding formula after FY2034 to ensure adequate funding in the future for the life of program untill it expires in 2090.
- Increase funding for research and data collection on 9/11 conditions.
- Make certain technical corrections to the current statute.
- Its cost is fully paid for.
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 permanently address the projected funding shortfall and ensure that the World Trade Center Health Program will be fully funded going forward.
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
Summary of 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024
Cosponsors of 2024 Legislation
List of Senate Sponsors S. 4724
List of House Sponsors HR. 9101
Dear Colleagues
Garbarino, Nadler, D ’Esposito, Goldman Dear Colleague 911 Funding Correction Act July 22, 2024
Memo in Support
Memo in Support July 24, 2024
Statistics
WTC Health Program Membership by State and Congressional District June 2024
VCF Participation by State December 2023
Press Releases
July 25, 2024
The “9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024” will address the impending budget shortfall in the program that is being caused by the precipitous rise in overall medical costs and in cancer rates that the program has experienced, which is leading to a shortfall in funding in the coming years.
July 27, 2023
Today’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the Senate by an overwhelming vote of 94 to 4, was sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), along with Senator Charles Schumer(D-NY) and will: This amendment was fully paid for under legislative rules. Benjamin Chevat, Executive Director of Citizens […]
May 16, 2023
With the additions of Ms. Bhattacharyya and Mr. Michael, the organization will continue its mission to make sure that the legislation creating the programs is fully funded and meets the need of all 9/11 responders, survivors, and their families.
February 28, 2023
News Articles
July 25, 2024 — LoHud — 9/11 health program shortfall looms, again. Will Congress permanently fund it?
Without more money, the program could have to turn away people who were newly diagnosed with 9/11-related illnesses by the end of 2027, Gillibrand said.
July 25, 2024 — Spectrum News NY1 — N.Y. lawmakers spearhead bill to make funding for World Trade Center Health Program permanent
“It’s absolutely insane that we’re still here fighting for what heroes deserve,” Nassau County Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, one of those advocating for the bill, said.
July 25, 2024 — Newsday — NY lawmakers introduce bill that would pump $3B into federal World Trade Health Center Program
The bill, introduced in the House and Senate, would fix an outdated funding formula and inject a final investment into the program to prevent a projected shortage of money beginning in 2028.
Editorial Support
January 2, 2024 — Newsday — Congress should make funding for the 9/11 health program permanent
Federal officials are still filling the World Trade Center Health Program’s budget holes piecemeal.
December 9, 2023 — NY Daily News — Mike Johnson’s 9/11 moment: The House speaker comes through for the World Trade Center Health Program
He found a way to fill in part of the shortfall in the CDC’s WTC Health Program that provides medical care for the responders and survivors who still suffer from the toxic fallout from the WTC’s destruction.
September 11, 2023 — NY Daily News — Congress isn’t done with 9/11: The World Trade Center Health Program must be fully funded
Down the road medical care for these people will have to be rationed. Should that be our legacy in the years ahead as more and more get sicker and more die?
Letters in Support
Older Information
Legislation page for 2023 Funding Effort
Legislation page for 2021- 2022 Funding Effort
Legislation Page for 2019 Effort to Permanently Reauthorize & Fund VCF