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 137,000 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.

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.

In 2024, in the continuing effort to resolve this funding issue, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) and 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 others, introduced the bi-partisan 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024 HR. 9101/S. 4724.

This legislation would have provided the funding needed to prevent cuts in services and deal with the program’s projected budget deficit and increased funding for research and data collection on 9/11 conditions. Its cost would have been fully paid for.

Elements of that legislation had been included in the 2024-year end Omnibus Legislation as part of a bipartisan deal to fix this, but it was pulled out of the final bill at the last minute because of Elon Musk.

That was bad enough, but in February, Musk and DOGE cut the staff of the WTC Health Program by 20%, which would have meant delays in care to 9/11 responders and survivors.

Thankfully, that was reversed by President Trump.

2025 Effort

On February 26, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Tom Kean (R-NJ), Dan Goldman (D-NY) along with other members of Congress introduced the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 (HR.1410 and S. 739).

This legislation would:

Provide funding to prevent cuts in services and deal with the program’s projected budget deficit. By fixing the funding formula to ensure adequate funding in the future for the life of program until it expires in 2090.
Increase funding for research and data collection on 9/11 conditions.
Require a report to Congress evaluating the budget needs of the program.
Make certain technical corrections to the current statute.

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 if passed should permanently address the projected funding shortfall and ensure that the World Trade Center Health Program will be fully funded going forward.

You can view their press release here.

You can view their press conference here.

You can view our press release on their bill introduction here.

Memo in Support

Memo in Support February 26, 2025

Statistics

WTC Health Program Membership by State and Congressional District June 2024

VCF Participation by State December 2023

Press Releases

Statement From Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act On the Announcement by the CDC, Rescinding the Cuts to the Staff of the World Trade Center Health Program Along With Restoring Research Grants That Had Been Terminated

Citizens for the Extension of the of the James Zadroga Act wants to thank President Trump for the CDC’s action in rescinding the cuts to the staff of the World Trade Center Health Program and ensuring that needed research on the impact of 9/11 on responders and survivors can continue. We appreciate the swift action […]

February 16, 2025

Statement from Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act on the Trump Administration Cutting 20% of the CDC Staff who work at the World Trade Center Health Program and other Actions Impacting 9/11 Responders and Survivors

Citizens for the Extension of the of the James Zadroga has been informed with updated information that the Trump Administration has reportedly terminated 16 probationary staff serving World Trade Center Health Program and that with the several other staff have taken the Administration’s “buy out”, the total reduction in the CDC staff that supervise and […]

December 20, 2024

Statement from Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act on the Failure of the Continuing Resolution that Contained Additional Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program

Earlier this week we celebrated the bipartisan efforts of Senators Charles Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand and Mike Braun of Indiana along with Congressman Andrew Garbarino and Speaker Mike Johnson and their colleagues to include a critical fix to World Trade Center Health Program funding formula. This would have dealt with the impending budget deficit and resulting […]

News Articles

February 26, 2025 — Spectrum News NY1 — N.Y. lawmakers relaunch push to permanently fund 9/11 health program, one week after rescinded DOGE cuts

Congressional lawmakers are launching yet another bipartisan push for permanent funding for the health program that helps people sickened by toxic smoke and debris from the World Trade Center’s collapse.

February 26, 2025 — NY Daily News — Never forget the WTC sick: Congress must finally fully fund their health care

Having protected the WTC Health Program from Musk’s chainsaw, much more must be done to fully fund this CDC program, which will soon be facing shortfalls.

January 9, 2025 — SILive.com — ‘This is a priority of mine’: Malliotakis to discuss 9/11 health program funding with Trump this weekend

Though the program is authorized to run until 2090, the rate at which those who are contracting illnesses in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks is increasing.

January 7, 2025 — The Broadsheet — Twisting in the Wind: Eleventh-Hour Deal Scuttles Federal Funding for WTC Health Program

The looming budget shortfall means that, if nothing changes, the program will have to begin reducing services and rationing care in approximately 24 months.

December 26, 2024 — Newsday — Clock ticking on 9/11 health program

It’s another disappointment, another tragedy for heroes who are now seriously ill, or at risk of becoming sick from breathing in the toxic fumes after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

December 23, 2024 — New York Times — Money for 9/11 Health Care Was Dropped from Year-End Spending Bill

New York lawmakers had unanimously championed the health funding. Mr. Musk then demanded that Republicans renounce that measure and threatened on social media to “vote out” any member who voted for it.

December 22, 2024 — Fox 5 New York — Fire unions demand 9/11 Health Act funding

More than 23 years after the September 11 attacks, members of the FDNY are still fighting to fund healthcare for illnesses acquired during the response to the tragedy.

December 22, 2024 — NY Daily News — NYC firefighter unions blast House decision to strip funding for 9/11 health care program

The city’s firefighter unions slammed a decision by lawmakers to strip vital health care funds for 9/11 first responders from the federal budget after Elon Musk and Donald Trump nuked a spending plan.

September 16, 2024 — NY Daily News — Missing in action for the WTC ill: Members of Congress must get on board

There is a shameful absence of far too many federal legislators who should be supporting full funding for the World Trade Center Health Program.

Editorial Support

February 26, 2025 — NY Daily News — Never forget the WTC sick: Congress must finally fully fund their health care

Having protected the WTC Health Program from Musk’s chainsaw, much more must be done to fully fund this CDC program, which will soon be facing shortfalls.

February 20, 2025 — Newsday — Congress must fight cuts to WTC health program

The Trump administration’s broad employee cuts have slashed World Trade Center Health Program staffing by 20%.

December 26, 2024 — Newsday — Clock ticking on 9/11 health program

It’s another disappointment, another tragedy for heroes who are now seriously ill, or at risk of becoming sick from breathing in the toxic fumes after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

December 22, 2024 — NY Daily News — WTC ailing ignored again: Congress fails the Ground Zero sick

The fault lies with Elon Musk, who, in his rash meddling, blew up an agreed bipartisan plan to provide permanent comprehensive medical care to the sickened heroes and victims of 9/11.

September 11, 2024 — Crain’s New York — Editorial: New York’s spirit is evident in continuing investigation of 9/11 impacts

It’s admirable that New York’s research community continues to dig into the lasting effects of that terrible day, especially as many of those affected are alive and can benefit from these discoveries.