News Articles on effort to ensure that the World Trade Center Health Program is Fully Funded – 2023
Below are URLs to news stories on the effort to have the World Trade Center Health Program fully funded.
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December 21, 2023 — 1010 WINS — Queens man allegedly scammed women, including a 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund recipient, out of $167K
Richard Yasnis, 42, was arrested on Wednesday after he claimed to be a licensed investment advisor and a representative of Cahill Financial Group.
December 18, 2023 — Ritz Herald — FLEOA Applauds Inclusion of $676 Million for World Trade Center Health Program in Defense Bill
“First responders, civilian personnel, and military personnel who courageously and immediately responded to the attacks are still falling ill from diseases like sarcoidosis.”
December 14, 2023 — AFSCME — AFSCME’s Saunders applauds expansion of World Trade Center Health Program to include additional 9/11 first responders
“Our nation will never forget those — including many AFSCME members — who jumped into action and put their lives on the line to save others on that tragic day.”
December 12, 2023 — Newsday — A ‘speaker’ for 9/11 health funding
Advocates and survivors who’ve spent more than a decade fighting for funding for those with 9/11-related illnesses found an unlikely ally.
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.
December 8, 2023 — NY Daily News — Feds fix loophole preventing soldiers from getting 9/11 healthcare
Additions to the National Defense Authorization Act will now allow soldiers and sailors who helped sift through the rubble at the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA to enroll in the WTC Health Program.
December 7, 2023 — Newsday — World Trade Center Health Program gets $676 million in final defense bill
The annual defense bill released late Wednesday authorizes $676 million for the WTC Health Program to extend services to those who responded on 9/11 at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
December 7, 2023 — Citizens for the Renewal of the James Zadroga Act — Statement on the Inclusion of the Gillibrand/Braun Amendment in the National Defense Authorization That Will Ensure That All 9/11 Responders to the Pentagon and Shanksville, Including Former Active Duty Soldiers and Sailors, Will Be Able to Enroll in the WTC Health Program and Will Also Help to Close the Long Term Impending Funding Shortfall Threatening the Program
Today the Leadership of the House and the Senate announced agreement on a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will be put before both Houses of Congress.
December 7, 2023 — Congressman Andrew Garbarino — Garbarino, Gillibrand Secure Funding For 9/11 Health Care in Annual Defense Package
This legislation will provide $444 million to address the WTCHP funding gap and $232 million to extend coverage for military and civilian 9/11 responders at the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA.
December 5, 2023 — Journal of Psychiatric Research — PTSD and lower respiratory symptoms: A systematic review of longitudinal associations in early 9/11 World Trade Center responders
The data demonstrate that there are significant associations between PTSD and LRS among 9/11 early responders.
December 5, 2023 — WKBW-7 Buffalo — Retired New York State Police sergeant dies of illness tied to 9/11 response
Technical Sgt. Christopher P. Rock joined state police in 1987 and served for 26 years before his retirement in September 2013.
November 24, 2023 — New York Post — FDNY chaplain who consoled firefighters after 9/11 dies of cancer tied to aftermath at Ground Zero
Monsignor John Delendick was remembered as a “spiritual constant and staple” in the FDNY during his 28 years of service, Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said in a statement Thursday.
November 9, 2023 — The Tribune-Democrat — Flight 93 site responders may be eligible for 9/11 compensation funds, program supervisor says
People from an estimated 70 agencies, particularly those who suffered illness or injury in the 22 years since, may be eligible for health benefits or compensation through the fund.
November 8, 2023 — TribLive — Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund officials visit Flight 93 memorial, meet with community
Turkel and other federal officials laid a wreath at the memorial wall following their tour.
November 1, 2023 — Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine — Self-reported cardiovascular disease in career firefighters with and without World Trade Center exposure
We observed an exposure gradient where greater WTC exposure was associated with greater odds of CVD.
October 26, 2023 — NY Daily News — Speaker Who? Mike Johnson wins the gavel, for now
We were so unfamiliar with this Louisianan from Shreveport, that we didn’t know his name or his face before he rose to the top Tuesday night.
October 22, 2023 — NY Daily News — The center held: Extremist Jim Jordan’s rejection spells hope
They said, correctly, that Jordan failed to support the World Trade Center Health Program.
October 17, 2023 — Newsday — D’Esposito, LaLota, Garbarino cast surprise votes for Lee Zeldin for House speaker
Three of Long Island’s congressmen sent shock waves through the House Tuesday by voting for former Rep. Lee Zeldin for speaker.
October 10, 2023 — WTAJ-TV — Shanksville town hall to discuss program enrollment for 9/11 responders
Anyone who responded to the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville could be eligible for compensation and/or medical monitoring and treatment.
September 29, 2023 — Rep. Dan Goldman — Congressman Dan Goldman Convenes Townhall on World Trade Center Health Program’s New 9/11 Youth Research Cohort
The Youth Research Cohort was created to study the long-term health of individuals who were aged 21 years or younger – including those in utero – at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
September 28, 2023 — The Broadsheet — Suffer the Little Children? Survivors Exposed to September 11 Toxins as Youth Face Health Risks
Since the mid-2010s, Lower Manhattan community leaders have been advocating for the creation of a representative group of people exposed as children.
September 27, 2023 — NorthJersey.com — ‘Astounding’ milestone: We cannot forget FDNY’s 9/11 sacrifice — then and now
The tick-tock of firefighters’ deaths is just the tip of this horror story.
September 25, 2023 — PIX11 — FDNY seeks more funding after 9/11 illness deaths equals members who died on 9/11
The department averages three or four deaths a month, officials said.
September 25, 2023 — The Chief-Leader — ‘A somber, remarkable milestone’: Number of FDNY members felled by 9/11-related illnesses now equal those who died on the day
The number of FDNY members who have died as a result of 9/11-related illnesses now equals the number of members who were killed on that September morning 22 years ago.
September 25, 2023 — American Journal of Industrial Medicine — Cancer incidence in World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers by race and ethnicity
Compared with NYS population, White workers had significantly higher incidence of prostate cancer and thyroid cancer, while Black workers had significantly higher incidence of prostate cancer.
September 25, 2023 — NBC 4 New York — 343 FDNY members now dead from 9/11-related illnesses, same number killed in WTC attacks
The firefighters union said that more members are being diagnosed each day, and there needs to be funding in place in order to properly help them.
September 25, 2023 — Spectrum News NY1 — FDNY death toll from 9/11-related illnesses reaches agency’s 9/11 toll
The number of FDNY members who have died from 9/11-related illnesses is now equal to the number who died on the day of the attacks: 343 the day of, and 343 in the years that have followed.
September 25, 2023 — CBS News — 9/11-related illnesses have now killed same number of FDNY firefighters as day of attacks: “An ongoing tragedy”
Ansbro and James Brosi, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, both called for increased funding to the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program.
September 23, 2023 — NY Daily News — FDNY’s Ground Zero-related illness deaths reach 343, same death toll as number who died on 9/11
On Saturday morning, retired Firefighter Robert Fulco died of pulmonary fibrosis that was linked to the toxic cloud swirling above Ground Zero in the days and weeks after the terror attacks.
September 23, 2023 — SILive.com — Number of FDNY members who died of 9/11 illnesses now matches how many were lost at Ground Zero
Since the 22nd anniversary of Sept. 11, two more FDNY members have died — EMT Hilda Vannata and retired firefighter Robert Fulco — marking the 342nd and 343rd deaths since the attacks.
September 20, 2023 — AFSCME DC 37 Blog — New State Law Addresses Informing Benefits for 9/11’s Forgotten Victims
The legislation will expand participation in programs devoted to compensation and health care for those living and working in the area of the 9/11 attacks.
September 16, 2023 — News 12 Long Island — 352 names added to memorial at 9/11 Responders Remembered Memorial Park
The memorial wall, which has nearly 2,500 already etched, bears the names of both uniformed first responders and those who worked or volunteered at ground zero.
September 14, 2023 — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand — On The Heels Of 9/11, Gillibrand, Schumer, Garbarino, Braun, Nadler, D’esposito, Goldman Champion Bipartisan Push To Include Senate-Passed Amendment To Help Close World Trade Center Health Program Funding Gap In Final NDAA
Eight years since Congress reauthorized the program, it is estimated that the funding formula will not be able to keep pace with the anticipated costs of providing the program’s services for 9/11 heroes.
September 13, 2023 — Newsday — World Trade Center Health Program faces major funding shortfall, needs roughly $2 billion, politicians say
Elected officials paint a bleak picture for the program, which provides medical treatment and monitoring for 124,000 Americans still suffering from the health effects of the nation’s worst terror attack.
September 13, 2023 — TBR Newsmedia — SBU study reveals WTC 9/11 responders continue to need monitoring of PTSD, cognitive status
A compilation of new research published over the past year suggests the need to delve further into investigating the brain status of responders and their cognitive problems.
September 13, 2023 — People — Man Beats Rare Cancer After Toxic Exposure on 9/11: I Could’ve ‘Given Up, but That’s Just Not Who I Am’
Nine years after being exposed to toxins on 9/11, Gerard Vanderberg was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood plasma cells.
September 12, 2023 — Communications Workers of America (CWA) — Fund the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2023
additional funding is needed because the WTCHP has seen a significant increase in enrollment of late, in part because cancers take time to develop and be diagnosed.
September 12, 2023 — Fox 13 Tampa Bay — 9/11 related diseases daily concern for first responders 22 years later
According to the CDC, more than 17,000 World Trade Center first responders have been diagnosed with cancer. 1,650 of them have died from the disease.
September 12, 2023 — NYC.gov — The World Trade Center Health Registry Marks 20 Years of 9/11 Research
The Registry was created to understand the short- and long-term health effects and gaps in care among exposed people.
September 12, 2023 — WUSA 9 — VERIFY: Fast facts about the long-term impact of 9/11 attacks
According to the New York City Fire Department, 343 New York firefighters died on 9/11. Their union now says 341 have died of conditions they got because of the attacks.
September 11, 2023 — New York Post — Retired Stuyvesant High School teacher blames teacher union head Randi Weingarten for 9/11-related illness
Gary Brandwein, a teacher at the elite magnet school from 1984 through 2002, says he developed an atrial fibrillation that ultimately “destroyed my life” months after returning to the toxic campus.
September 11, 2023 — Senate Democrats — Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Honoring The Lives Lost And The Heroic Actions Taken On September 11th, 2001
“A lifetime can pass, but to me, it always feels like yesterday.”
September 11, 2023 — CBS News Sacramento — Sacramento chaplain who responded to Ground Zero on 9/11 shares her post-traumatic stress diagnosis
Twenty-two years ago, Sacramento Chaplain Mindi Russell was at Ground Zero. Now she is still processing what she saw and learning about the impact it’s had on her own health.
September 11, 2023 — All Things Considered (NPR) — Health problems have followed many 9/11 survivors, CDC shows in new museum exhibit
Many who survived the 9/11 terrorist attacks have health problems. The CDC in Atlanta is hosting an exhibit that pays tribute to those suffering and shows what public health experts have learned.
September 11, 2023 — The Independent — Lauren Boebert leads GOP lawmakers sharing 9/11 anniversary tributes despite voting against aid for families
Some social media users responded to her post, calling out her hypocrisy and even calling her a “traitor.”
September 11, 2023 — News 12 Westchester — Gov. Hochul signs 9/11 Notice Act into law
The bill requires employers to notify any individuals who were in the exposure zones of their right to register for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and the World Trade Center Health Program.
September 11, 2023 — Governor Kathy Hochul — Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Support 9/11 Victims, First Responders, and Their Loved Ones
“On this solemn day of remembrance, let us not only honor the lives lost on 9/11, but also extend our support to the survivors, their loved ones and our first responders,” Governor Hochul said.
September 11, 2023 — Dermatology Times — World Trade Center 9/11 Rescue Workers Show Higher Risk of Melanoma
Rescue workers had a higher rate of malignant melanoma between 2005 and 2015 compared the general population of New York State.
September 11, 2023 — NBC 4 New York — The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund’s message for survivors: Help is available
Chief Investigative Reporter Jonathan Dienst recently spoke with the new special master of the victim compensation fund.
September 11, 2023 — Newsweek — Republicans Who Voted Against 9/11 Victims Fund Post Tributes
Republican politicians who voted against legislation to establish a health care fund for victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack posted tributes to social media on the attack’s 22nd anniversary.
September 11, 2023 — The Mirror — 9/11 hero who saved six men before cancer diagnosis died days after transplant
While Roy Chelsen himself survived 9/11, he paid for his heroism.
September 11, 2023 — The Spokesman-Review — 9/11 nightmare never ends for cancer victims, families
Cancer linked to the toxic emissions at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville “sicken 1,000 people a month,” said attorney Dan Hansen, who has clients from New England to New Jersey.
September 11, 2023 — amNY — 9/11 families urge City to release data on long-term health impacts stemming from World Trade Center attack
The coalition requests information about hazardous substances contained in World Trade Center buildings.
September 11, 2023 — NY Daily News — Release NYC’s secret WTC files
Mr. Mayor, having been a working cop on 9/11 at the WTC, you can hand over the records now or wait until your lawyers lose in court.
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?
September 11, 2023 — Washington Examiner — Post-9/11 first responder deaths near total who died during attacks
The number of first responders who died from illnesses stemming from the 9/11 terrorist attacks is nearly the number of public servants who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
September 11, 2023 — September 11th Victim Compensation Fund — Message from the Special Master on the 22nd Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks
As we commemorate 22 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, I have been reflecting on cooperation, stability, and practicality.
September 11, 2023 — World Trade Center Health Program — 2023 Day of Service and Remembrance Administrator Statement
With more than 400,000 people estimated to have been exposed to toxins or suffer from physical or mental health conditions as result of 9/11, our work and commitment to provide compassionate WTC-related care continues.
September 11, 2023 — USA Today — She survived 9/11. Then she survived cancer four times
Clark, 44, has been diagnosed with melanoma four times since that horrible, harrowing day – and recently found out that she’s one of about 30,000 people who can directly trace their cancers to 9/11.
September 11, 2023 — WABE — CDC exhibit examines the health consequences of 9/11 attacks
The Centers for Disease Control says nearly 80,000 people still have physical and mental health conditions related to their exposure to airborne toxins following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
September 11, 2023 — Atlanta Journal-Constitution — 9/11 exhibit at CDC examines lingering health effects from terror attacks
Of all the sights and sounds of 9/11′s aftermath, Dr. Mary Reynolds said she remembers the smell of burnt metal the most.
September 11, 2023 — The Messenger — 9/11 Health Screening Program Still Has Problems
Because of the structure of the program, those registered can only seek treatment where they are registered; otherwise, they have to transfer to another clinic.
September 11, 2023 — MSNBC — 9/11 was 22 years ago. And we’re still holding funerals.
Even now, 22 years later, the death toll from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, continues to climb.
September 10, 2023 — Rep. Elise Stefanik — We Must Never Forget
While we look back on this day with sorrow, we must also remember how the resolve of New Yorkers and all Americans was strengthened.
September 10, 2023 — The Messenger — 9/11 Health Program Adds Uterine Cancer, Survivors Feel Validated
All types of uterine cancers were finally added to the growing list of 9/11-related illnesses in January — over a year after an advisory committee unanimously recommended including it.
September 10, 2023 — 60 Minutes Overtime — They responded to 9/11 as officers, now they treat those who stood beside them
In Commack, New York, inside a sparsely decorated waiting room, a dozen armchairs are often filled with heroes. The men and women who rushed to ground zero carrying little more than a sense of duty.
September 10, 2023 — The Times-Union — New York seeks to reach thousands exposed to 9/11 contaminants
A new law requires current or former employers to let hundreds of thousands of people know they can apply for free Sept. 11 health insurance and compensation.
September 10, 2023 — NY Daily News — 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund seeks lawyers’ help to speed payment for World Trade Center, terror attack survivors
The federal Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund wants to speed up its operations — and to do so, it needs lawyers to be more organized.
September 10, 2023 — NY Daily News — FDNY wants feds to add certain autoimmune, cardiovascular diseases to 9/11 Ground Zero compensation list
The FDNY wants the feds to add two more health conditions to its growing list of 9/11-related illnesses, the Daily News has learned.
September 9, 2023 — Psychiatry Research — Post-traumatic stress disorder and risk of first-time and repeated opioid-related hospitalizations among World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees
Improved treatment of and increased screenings for PTSD may reduce the likelihood of opioid misuse in this population and consequently overdoses, hospitalizations, and healthcare costs.
September 9, 2023 — New York Post — Hochul to mark 9/11 anniversary by signing bill aiding workers exposed to Ground Zero toxins
Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign into law Monday a bill requiring businesses that operated near Ground Zero notify their employees at the time that they could be eligible for federal benefits and health monitoring.
September 8, 2023 — Spectrum News 1 — Bill could force companies to notify 9/11 survivors about health programs, but one group is left out
The group that is not included: students.
September 8, 2023 — PIX11 — 9/11 line-of-duty benefits: A widow’s 3-year fight
Heather Ward and her son Andrew, then 11, were left without Danny Ward’s police pension and health benefits when the retired officer died suddenly on February 17, 2020.
September 8, 2023 — New York Post — Total number of FDNY members who’ve died from a 9/11-related illness nearly equals how many died at Ground Zero: officials
341 FDNY members have now died of Ground Zero-related illnesses, nearly equaling the death toll for city smoke eaters that perished in the 2001 terror attack.
September 8, 2023 — NY Daily News — FDNY chaplain suffering from 9/11 illness comforts those facing the same fate; ‘Now, I’m one of them’
Msgr. John Delendick is facing a death caused by the toxic soup that swirled around lower Manhattan in the days and weeks after the Sept, 11, 2001, attacks.
September 8, 2023 — Stony Brook University News — WTC 911 Responders Continue to Need Monitoring of PTSD, Cognitive Status
Previous research has shown that some responders may be experiencing cognitive difficulties earlier in life than the general population.
September 8, 2023 — Spectrum News 1 — Hochul expected to sign 9/11 Notice Act on 22nd anniversary
The bill would require businesses that operated near Ground Zero during 9/11 to notify employees who worked in downtown Manhattan at the time that they could be eligible for federal benefits.
September 8, 2023 — NY Daily News — 9/11 health group files Freedom of Information request on Rudy Giuliani and toxic air at Ground Zero
“Twenty-two years is too long to not know the truth,” said Benjamin Chevat, the group’s executive director.
September 7, 2023 — News 12 New Jersey — Go behind the scenes at Rutgers’ World Trade Center Health Program
News 12’s Brian Donohue visited the World Trade Center Health Program at Rutgers University, where 5,000 people are being treated by a team led by a beloved doctor.
September 7, 2023 — Vanity Fair — “You’re as Sick as Your Secrets”: Will Eric Adams Be the Mayor Who Releases 9/11 Docs?
Twenty-two years ago Mayor Adams, as he frequently mentions, was a cop who served at the World Trade Center site after the attacks.
September 7, 2023 — New York Amsterdam News — Health issues continue to plague 9/11 responders and survivors
Short- and long-term health issues have plagued people who found themselves in lower Manhattan and in the northern parts of Brooklyn on the day the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers collapsed.
September 7, 2023 — ABC 7 NY — FDNY adds 43 names to 9/11 memorial wall, 2nd largest addition since inception
The family of the FDNY came together Wednesday to mourn as one – honoring those they lost this year.
September 5, 2023 — Washington Post — A childhood in 9/11’s shadow: Did the debris cloud poison me?
As our school grew overcrowded with parents holding their children close, we were brought up to the roof. The air smelled of ash and burned plastic.
September 4, 2023 — Raw Story — Rudy Giuliani and 9/11: The killer cloud that keeps killing
It’s ironic that the chapter of Giuliani’s life that made him the “brave” leader of a city under attack is the very same chapter with a body count that continues to mount in plain sight.
August 30, 2023 — FT Magazine — Long Covid and learning from past trauma
9/11’s aftermath is an invaluable source for those studying newer shocks
August 26, 2023 — NY Daily News — NYC Transit workers’ sacrifice recognized by 9/11 Memorial & Museum, TWU Local 100; ‘A lot of them are still dying’
While some New York City Transit workers were tending to transit systems taken out by the attacks, others — like hundreds of MTA ironworkers and welders — got to work cleaning and clearing debris.
August 24, 2023 — LIHerald.com — It’s time to deliver on our promise to never forget
We all collectively promised to never forget, but it seems that too many have turned a blind eye to the ongoing suffering of our 9/11 heroes, survivors and their families.
August 6, 2023 — Newsday — Congress should fix the 9/11 health fund for good
The four Republicans who voted against the amendment — Sens. Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Markwayne Mullin and Tommy Tuberville — all promise year after year to “Never forget.” And yet, they shamefully did.
July 31, 2023 — Politico: Weekly New York Health Care — Senate takes aim at WTC Health Program’s funding gap
Even if the funding makes it into the final NDAA version after negotiations with the House, it won’t be enough to keep pace with the anticipated costs of serving the program’s roughly 124,000 enrollees.
July 27, 2023 — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand — Gillibrand, Schumer Announce Senate Passage Of Amendment To Defense Bill To Deliver Nearly $700 Million To Close Funding Gap In World Trade Center Health Program
The amendment will help address the long-term funding shortfall by delivering $676 million for the program, and will allow excluded Pentagon and Shanksville responders to join the program.
July 27, 2023 — Senate Democrats — Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Supporting The 9/11 Amendment To Benefit First Responders And Survivors
“We cannot fail to properly care for those who answered the call of duty.”
July 27, 2023 — New York Post — US Senate approves measure that pumps $676M into financially troubled Ground Zero Health Fund
The bipartisan measure — pushed by New York Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer — is expected to clear the House of Representatives and be approved by President Biden.
July 27, 2023 — Newsday — Senate approves $676 million for World Trade Center health fund
The Senate overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act Thursday to address the World Trade Center Health Program’s funding shortfall and to expand its services.
July 27, 2023 — NY Daily News — Laura Kavanagh’s out-of-town call: On WTC Health Program and lithium-ion batteries, Washington has to deliver
Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh is on a mission today in Washington to help the injured and dying as well as to prevent more injuries and deaths. She must succeed on both.
July 26, 2023 — Fortune — Billions in 9/11 aid has gone unclaimed. Now a new law will compel banks like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to alert survivors who worked near Ground Zero
Legislation will soon require the likes of JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and Amex, major employers around Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, to join the drive.
July 21, 2023 — Office of the Mayor of New York City — Transcript: Deputy Mayor For Public Safety Banks To Hold Briefing On Public Safety In New York City
New York City Office of Public Safety Chief of Operations Justin S. Meyers Holds Briefing on Public Safety in New York City.
July 14, 2023 — Rep. Nicole Malliotakis — Malliotakis, Former Rep. Carolyn Maloney Tour Staten Island World Trade Center Health Clinic, Call for Passage of Zadroga Correction Act
This week, Rep Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and former Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D, NY-12) toured Mount Sinai’s Staten Island World Trade Center Health Program Clinic on Richmond Road.
July 9, 2023 — Florida Bulldog — Fight within a fight: 9/11 widows and children appeal to force dismissal of thousands of wrongful death judgments given to non-heirs
9/11 widows and their children have filed a writ asking the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to force Judge George Daniels to dismiss thousands of wrongful death claims against Iran and the Taliban.
July 6, 2023 — The Broadsheet — Making Aware Those Who Were There: New Legislation Pushes Employers to Notify Staff about Eligibility for September 11 Benefits
Some 400,000 civilians were exposed to September 11 toxins on the day or the attack or in the weeks and months that followed, but only a small percentage with qualifying medical conditions have registered.
July 2, 2023 — NY Daily News — New bill to require NYC employers near Ground Zero to alert workers about 9/11 toxin dangers: sources
Gov. Hochul is poised to sign the 9/11 Notice Act, which was passed by both chambers of the state Legislature in June.
June 30, 2023 — World Trade Center Health Program — Statement from the Program on the Upcoming Nationwide Provider Network Expansion
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program is pleased to announce that the Nationwide Provider Network (NPN) is in the process of expanding their network of Program providers.
June 22, 2023 — New York State Senate — New York State Legislature Unanimously Passes 9/11 Notice Act to Support Forgotten Victims
The legislation would require businesses and institutions that had people return after the attack to notify them of their potential eligibility for the Victim Compensation Fund and World Trade Center Health Fund.
June 21, 2023 — The Broadsheet — The Littlest Survivors: Meeting Today Launches First Scientific Look at the Children of September 11
The youngest children in the vicinity of the World Trade Center are now graduating college. Virtually no data exists about how their health has been affected by their exposure to more than 2,500 contaminants.
June 19, 2023 — Spectrum News 1 — 9/11 notification bill awaits governor’s signature
A measure is headed to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk that would educate thousands of people about federal assistance related to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 they might be entitled to.
June 13, 2023 — News 12 Westchester — 9/11 Notification Act heads to Gov. Hochul’s desk for approval
The bill would require past and present businesses and their employees of potential eligibility for the 9/11 Victims Compensation Act and World Trade Center Health Program.
June 12, 2023 — Spectrum News 1 — State trooper in Ray Brook dies from 9/11 service-related illness
Less than a year after Christopher Garrow entered the New York State Police force, he was assigned to New York City to assist in search and recovery efforts from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
May 31, 2023 — Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health — Best practices for managing depression and suicide risk in World Trade Center responders and survivors
Depressive disorders, often comorbid with PTSD and substance use disorders, present an ongoing and substantial health burden for 9/11 responders and survivors.
May 31, 2023 — NY Daily News — FDNY commissioner Laura Kavanagh lobbies for new bill to fund federal 9/11 health program for NYC, Pennsylvania and Pentagon first responders
The FDNY is just a few months away from a milestone it doesn’t want to mark — the moment when more of its members died of 9/11 illness than on the day of the terror attacks.
May 26, 2023 — Federal Register — World Trade Center Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee
The CDC announces the following meeting for the World Trade Center Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (WTCHP–STAC). This virtual meeting is open to the public.
May 26, 2023 — University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Husband and wife undergo same pancreatic cancer surgery
Tim Leary still remembers the shock he felt after he was diagnosed with two cancers in two years. The feeling continued when his wife was diagnosed with a tumor that would require the same surgery.
May 22, 2023 — WSHU Public Radio — The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund has a message for survivors: Complete claims move faster
Over 50% of claims are missing necessary information according to an internal review.
May 16, 2023 — SILive.com — Staten Islanders who lived along debris removal route may qualify for 9/11 victims’ fund, says NYC attorney
Borough residents who lived along the debris removal route may be eligible for compensation if they suffer from any of the cancers and respiratory illnesses currently linked to Ground Zero toxins.
May 16, 2023 — 9/11 Health Watch — Former VCF Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya, FDNY Battalion Chief and UFOA Representative Sean Michael, and Executive Director, Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America, Lisa M. Sabitoni Join Board of Directors of 9/11 Health Watch
With the additions of Ms. Bhattacharyya, Mr. Michael, and Ms. Sabitoni, the organization will continue its mission to make sure that the goal of providing quality medical care and compensation for injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors is achieved.
May 16, 2023 — Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act — Former VCF Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya and FDNY Battalion Chief and UFOA Representative Sean Michael Join Board of Directors of 9/11 Responder and Advocacy Organization
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.
May 13, 2023 — Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health — Glial suppression and post-traumatic stress disorder: A cross-sectional study of 1,520 world trade center responders
This study examined whether glial activation would be associated with PTSD in a study of responders present after the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks without comorbid cerebrovascular disease.
May 5, 2023 — Carcinogenesis — TERT and BRAF V600E mutations in thyroid cancer of World Trade Center Responders
These results may indicate that exposure to the mixture of pollutants present in the WTC dust resulted in an excess thyroid cancer risk and potentially more aggressive thyroid cancer.
May 5, 2023 — NY Daily News — Congress must fully fund the health care for 9/11 heroes
It is unconscionable to have to continually seek support from lawmakers outside New York, and beg for funding for this essential, life-saving program, even while the numbers are clear.
May 5, 2023 — People — Mom Who Got Uterine Cancer from 9/11 Finally Receives Victims’ Benefits for Her Disease
Karen Smith got uterine cancer from the toxic chemicals near to Ground Zero. She is one of the first women to be certified by the World Trade Center Health Program
May 4, 2023 — News Channel 13 WNYT — State flags at half-staff for officer who died from 9/11-related illness
Flags on state buildings were at half-staff Thursday, in honor of fallen retired Senior Investigator Nicholas Georgeadis.
May 2, 2023 — Newsday — More names to never forget added to NYPD memorial wall
Some 36 families filled the lobby of police headquarters in Manhattan on Tuesday for the NYPD Memorial Day ceremony, a poignant commemoration of officers who died in the line of duty in recent years.
April 26, 2023 — The Chief — NYC Transit workers, shut out of 9/11 disability benefits, look for support
Despite state and federal legislation granting disability benefits to people who developed any number of health issues attributable to their presence on the site, city transit workers have so far been shut out.
April 21, 2023 — WFLA News Channel 8 — Tampa Bay 9/11 first responders hit with health care ‘one-two punch’ involving delays, other issues
A change in the company managing treatment for the World Trade Center Health Program has so far not improved access to care, according to patients with ailments caused by the 9/11 attacks.
April 16, 2023 — Albany Times-Union — Retired State Police trooper from North Greenbush dies of 9/11-related illness
Patrick Hogan, a retired state trooper who aided in search-and-recovery efforts at the World Trade Center following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, died last Thursday from a 9/11-related illness.
April 16, 2023 — Newsday — Make 9/11 an unforgettable day
Television news doesn’t spend hours covering it. People go about their days, walking past the site, barely stopping to take a moment to remember. The tourists seem to stop for selfies. But remember we must.
April 13, 2023 — La Medicina del Lavoro — Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in World Trade Center Responders
Contact with sewage may increase the risk of HCV infection.
April 10, 2023 — NY Daily News — Mayor Adams, open the WTC records: The Ground Zero files held by New York City must be released
The truth must come out and now, as mayor, Adams must open up the city’s files regarding the disaster.
April 6, 2023 — Newsday — Congress must pass our bill to continue care for 9/11 victims, first responders
People like Mariama, Nate, and Jamie deserve our help and care. They have endured unimaginable traumas and should not be left to suffer alone.
April 1, 2023 — NY Post — 9/11 ‘vampire’ Christine LaSala blasted over service to ailing responders
The “vampire” of 9/11 – a woman infamous for fighting illness claims by Ground Zero workers – is now overseeing a healthcare firm that is making their lives a “nightmare.”
March 30, 2023 — AuburnPub.com — NY rep wants Sept. 11 to be federal holiday
U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler introduced the bill titled the September 11th Day of Remembrance Act.
March 30, 2023 — NY Daily News — Mayor Adams rejects calls for release of NYC 9/11 files, citing fears of lawsuits
Adams said the city would not comply unless the lawmakers can come up with a way to cover costs and shield the city from getting sued.
March 27, 2023 — 10 News San Diego — 9/11 responder receives sobering diagnosis during trip to San Diego
The diagnosis was a surprise, but a possible factor could be traced to an event more than two decades ago, the 9/11 terror attacks.
March 27, 2023 — Occupational and Environmental Medicine — All-cause and cause-specific mortality in a cohort of WTC-exposed and non-WTC-exposed firefighters
Lower mortality in the WTC-exposed suggests not just a healthy worker effect, but additional factors such as greater access to free health monitoring and treatment that they receive via the WTCHP.
March 27, 2023 — NY Daily News — AWOL for 9/11 heroes and victims: Congress must fully fund the World Trade Center Health Program
A promise and threat to hound every member of Congress from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut until they sponsor the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2023.
March 24, 2023 — Annals of the American Thoracic Society — Association of Lung Function Decline with All-cause and Cancer-cause Mortality after World Trade Center Dust Exposure
Baseline FEV1 and longitudinal FEV1 decline are associated with increased risk of all-cause and cancer-cause mortality in a previously healthy occupational cohort after intense exposure to dust/smoke.
March 20, 2023 — FOX19 Now — Family of Tri-State 9/11 first responder appealing for community’s help
A long-time Hillsboro resident who was a first responder during 9/11 is battling stage 4 lung cancer and he says the medical costs are becoming too much for his family to afford.
March 17, 2023 — World Trade Center Health Program — Updated Coverage for Dental Services and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program has released updated coverage details of the following: dental services, Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS).
March 10, 2023 — U.S. Department of Justice — Justice Department Announces Allison Turkel as Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
Turkel, who has served in the Justice Department for over 14 years, most recently in the Office for Victims of Crime, will assume her new position effective March 12, 2023.
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.
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.
February 28, 2023 — Newsday — WTC Health Program would get $2 billion more under Congress plan
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday launched a campaign to pass a bill to cover the rest of the funding needed by the World Trade Center Health Program.
February 28, 2023 — CBS New York — Lawmakers: Billions in funding needed for WTC Health Program
Billions of dollars in additional funding is needed to keep the World Trade Center Health Program running, according to members of New York and New Jersey Congressional delegation.
February 28, 2023 — Spectrum News NY1 — New Yorkers demand more funding for World Trade Center Health Program
New Yorkers are demanding Congress step in with an additional $2 billion in funding, warning services to tens of thousands of people are on the line.
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.
February 27, 2023 — News12 The Bronx — NYC 9/11 responders to fight for more funding for World Trade Center Health Program
Several 9/11 first responders from New York City are heading to Washington, D.C. today to fight for more funding for the World Trade Center Health Program.
February 26, 2023 — News12 The Bronx — ‘This is our final stand.’ 9/11 first responders advocate for WTC Health Program funding
Two 9/11 first responders from Long Island are heading to Washington, D.C. to fight for more funding for the World Trade Center Health Program.
February 23, 2023 — SILive.com — He waited years. Now, his wife’s 9/11 Victim’s Compensation Fund claim deemed eligible for approval
A long journey for closure reached a pivotal step for Alonzo “Lonny” Shockley this week.
February 17, 2023 — FOX 5 NY — Calls for NYC to release information on air quality after 9/11 attacks
Lawmakers have tried and failed before to get these records released starting with the Giuliani administration again with De Blasio’s and now with Mayor Adams.
February 16, 2023 — Rep. Jerrold Nadler — Reps. Nadler and Goldman call on NYC Mayor Eric Adams to release Giuliani Administration Records on the City’s Knowledge of the Scope of the Health Threats to 9/11 Responders and Survivors
Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Dan Goldman wrote to Mayor Eric Adams calling for the city to finally release any documents related to 9/11 from September 11, 2001 through the spring of 2002.
February 9, 2023 — Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) — New Study Seeks to Better Understand Prolonged Grief Disorder in 9/11 Survivors
Data suggest approximately 15% of those bereaved on 9/11 continue to endorse symptoms consistent with PGD, PTSD, and depression.
February 6, 2023 — ABC News — George Santos, who claimed mom survived 9/11, invites ground zero volunteer to SOTU
9/11 has become a point of controversy for Santos as one of several key parts of his biography that have been shown to be false, exaggerated or disputed by other information.
January 24, 2023 — SILive.com — His wife died of uterine cancer after 9/11. A new rule may offer closure to a long journey
Denise Shockley was less than a mile away from the Twin Towers when they were struck on Sept. 11, 2001.
January 23, 2023 — NY Daily News — Health company for 9/11 first responders still falling short: advocates
The company that took over the contract to treat thousands of ill 9/11 responders around the country is still failing to do the job, advocates charge in a new letter to the firm’s parent company.
January 20, 2023 — Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health — World Trade Center Health Program best practices for diagnosing and treating chronic rhinosinusitis
The most frequent adverse physical health effect among World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) members is chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).
January 18, 2023 — ABC7NY – WABC-TV — World Trade Center Health Program adds uterine cancer to list of 9/11-related illnesses
This means women who lived, worked or were first responders near Ground Zero can apply for medical coverage and financial compensation.
January 18, 2023 — Rep. Mikie Sherrill — Rep. Sherrill Applauds World Trade Center Health Program Decision to Add Uterine Cancer to List of Covered Conditions
“I am proud that we are finally fulfilling our promise to 9/11 first responders, including the many women who ran into danger that day and on the days that followed,” said Rep. Sherrill.
January 17, 2023 — Rutgers University — Rutgers-Led Effort Gets Uterine Cancer Covered by WTC Health Program
Rutgers researchers and caregivers have helped secure medical coverage and financial compensation for women exposed to Ground Zero who develop uterine cancer.
January 18, 2023 — CBS News New York — Uterine cancer now covered by World Trade Center Health Program
It took years of advocacy and scientific study for uterine cancer to be added to the coverage list, well after 60 other cancers were covered.
January 17, 2023 — The Broadsheet — In Memoriam: Kathy Gupta (1950-2023)
This makes her the latest in a succession of community leaders taken by an illness arising from exposure to environmental toxins on September 11, 2001, and in the weeks and months that followed.
January 17, 2023 — Mount Sinai Newsroom — Exposure to World Trade Center Dust Exacerbates Cognitive Impairment in an Animal Model of Alzheimer’s
The study suggests a peripheral-brain immune inflammatory “cross-talking” that may increase the likelihood of cognitive decline.
January 17, 2023 — NJ.com — Feds will now provide health coverage to women with 9/11-linked cancer
While women make up about half of those eligible, they account for only 26,125 of the 114,775 members of the 9/11 health program.
January 17, 2023 — SILive.com — Uterine cancer recognized as 9/11 illness, widening scope of World Trade Center Health Program
The shift comes after years of advocacy to include various forms of malignant neoplasms that affect the uterus, including the most common form of the disease, endometrium cancer.
January 17, 2023 — NY Daily News — Uterine cancer officially added to list of 9/11 illnesses: federal officials
The updated rule will add “malignant neoplasms of corpus uteri and uterus (uterine cancer)” to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions.
January 12, 2023 — Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health — World Trade Center Health Program best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of fibrosing interstitial lung diseases
This brief article summarizes pertinent issues of diagnosis and management of ILDs, applicable to the diverse group of ILDs that have been observed in the WTC Health Program covered population.
January 11, 2023 — NJ.com — Feds should cover women with 9/11-linked cancer, powerful N.J. congressman says
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. asked Secretary Xavier Becerra and John Howard, administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, to quickly add uterine cancer to the list of conditions eligible for treatment.
January 10, 2023 — NY Daily News — New Ground Zero Congressman Dan Goldman vows to win 9/11 health funding after setbacks
The new congressman for Ground Zero is vowing to make sure the 9/11 health program gets its funding problems permanently fixed.
January 10, 2023 — NJ.com — Women with a 9/11-linked cancer are still waiting for federal benefits
The government’s original reasoning for not including uterine cancer is they didn’t have enough data. But researchers say this is because the data collection for the program systematically overlooked women.
January 6, 2023 — Adirondack Explorer — Hochul signs bill for 9/11 death benefits to Adirondack officer’s widow
Since June, Shari Raymond, who lives in Thurman in Warren County, has been waiting for Hochul’s signature. It came on Dec. 23, 2022.
January 4, 2023 — World Trade Center Health Program — Acupuncture Services Now Covered for Certain Conditions
Acupuncture services now available for coverage include traditional acupuncture with needles. They also include other services involving heat, pressure, friction, suction, and electromagnetic impulses.
January 4, 2023 — American Journal of Industrial Medicine — Comparing self-reported obstructive airway disease in firefighters with and without World Trade Center exposure
Compared with the general population, WTC-exposed firefighters had greater odds of both asthma and COPD, while the nonexposed had lower odds of asthma and greater odds of COPD.