In the news reported on July 27, 2024, the “World Trade Center Health Program” (WTCHP), which caters to 9/11 rescuers and survivors, is facing a funding shortage in the coming years. To address this issue, bipartisan members of Congress from New York proposed a bill on July 25 to provide permanent funding for this program.
Democratic U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman, Republican Congressmen Andrew Garbarino and Anthony D’Esposito held a press conference on the 25th with 9/11 survivors and advocates to introduce the “911 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024” proposed by the bipartisan members of Congress. They highlighted that the WTCHP provides medical monitoring and treatment for over 130,000 9/11 rescuers and survivors, but due to expenses exceeding projections, it will face a funding shortage in the next few years. Without Congressional action, by 2028, the program will have to cut services for 9/11 rescuers and survivors and deny new 9/11-related patients from joining.
Therefore, the bipartisan members of Congress introduced the “Health Funding Correction Act” to provide funding for the WTCHP to prevent service cuts and address deficits in the next decade. The bill also adjusts funding formulas beyond the 2034 fiscal year to ensure the WTCHP has adequate funding until its expiration in 2090. Additionally, the legislation includes funding for research and data collection related to 9/11 events and makes certain technical corrections to existing regulations.
According to NY1, Gillibrand and Schumer stated that they will work with bipartisan members of Congress to pass this bill as quickly as possible. Republican Congressmen also expressed the importance of this bill to them, having clearly communicated to House Speaker Mike Johnson their support for the legislation.