Bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and several of his New York and New Jersey colleagues in both houses would close the funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
Rep. Garbarino on Feb. 28 unveiled the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2023 with U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to flexibility and funding for the WTCHP.
“When Congress first established the World Trade Center Health Program, a promise was made to care for those Americans, but now a looming funding gap threatens their access to healthcare for 9/11-related illnesses and injuries,” Rep. Garbarino said. “The bipartisan, bicameral 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act is our chance to fulfill our promise – once and for all – to never forget by closing the funding gap and ensuring the WTCHP is equipped to care for those who need it for years to come.”
The same-named S. 569, introduced on Tuesday by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), among others, also would allow excluded Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., responders to join the program, and would make technical corrections to the program, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“We made a promise 22 years ago to never forget the events of 9/11,” said Sen. Booker. “That means making sure that all survivors and first responders who endured the tragedy are cared for, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation that will provide the necessary federal funding to ensure support programs for those affected by 9/11 continue past this decade.”
Specifically, the bill also would change minor details in the text of the initial law regarding flexibility in certain program positions, certifications, credentialing providers, and calculating enrollment and time requirements for processing new conditions, the summary says.
In 2022, lawmakers delivered $1 billion for the WTCHP in the end-of-year spending bill, but Rep. Garbarino and his colleagues say that isn’t enough to keep pace with the anticipated costs of providing the program’s services for over 120,000 9/11 responders and survivors, who span all 50 states and 434 of the 435 congressional districts.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, the New York State AFL-CIO, and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, among numerous others individuals and organizations endorsed the measure.