Senators Gillibrand, Schumer and Representatives Garbarino, Nadler, Kean and Goldman Introduce Legislation to Deal with the Impending Funding Shortfall Facing the World Trade Center Health Program
WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act, Inc. applauded the introduction of the “9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025″ (HR. 1410/S. 739) which addresses the impending funding shortfall facing the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
This bipartisan legislation—introduced by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY) in the Senate Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Tom Kean (R-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and twenty other members of the New York and New Jersey Congressional delegations along with Members of Congress from other States and—would close the budget gap in the WTCHP so that it can continue serving more than 137,000 responders and survivors impacted by the toxic chemicals at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site.
The “9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025” 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.
The World Trade Center Health Program has stated that unless Congress acts the program will have to stop taking new enrollees in 2027 and will have to cut back medical services to 9/11 responders and survivors in the years after that.
“As we have stated before, the budget shortfall is predictable, and Congress can—and should—fix it,” said Benjamin Chevat, Executive Director of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act. “The sponsors today have kept faith with the pledge to ‘Never Forget’ and their action today is a testament to their determination, ensuring that those injured and dealing with the impact of the toxins at Ground Zero continue to be cared for. We urge everyone who wants to make sure the country does NOT forget to call their member of Congress and urge them to join in this effort.”
The four lead House sponsors of the “9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025” were joined in introducing the bill by Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4, Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1],Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Ryan, Patrick [D-NY-18], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
You can view their Press Release here.
You can view their press conference here.
BACKGROUND:
The original James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was passed in 2010 and extended and reauthorized in 2015 until 2090.