Legislation
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 124,000 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.
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.
While 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 dollars 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.
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) are continuing their efforts to pass the their 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 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
CRS WTC Health Program Background January 12th, 2024
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 6th, 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 27th, 2023
Memo in Support
Memo in Support April 14th, 2023
National Defense Authorization Amendment
Summary of Gillibrand Braun Amendment 1065 July 27th, 2023
Senate Roll Call 206 on Amendment 1065 July 27th, 2023
Statistics
WTC Health Program Membership by State and Congressional District June 2024
VCF Participation by State December 2023
Press Releases
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
This bipartisan legislation—introduced by Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Anthony D‘Esposito (R-NY), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and nearly the entire New York Congressional delegation along with Members of Congress from other States and U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) in the Senate—would close the budget gap in the WTCHP so that it can continue serving more than 120,000 responders and survivors impacted by the toxins at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site.
December 22, 2022
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.
News Articles
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.
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.
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 2021- 2022 Funding Effort
Legislation Page for 2019 Effort to Permanently Reauthorize & Fund VCF