A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has introduced legislation to address an impending funding shortfall for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), which provides medical care to 9/11 first responders and survivors. Without congressional action, the program will be forced to turn away new enrollees and cut services for existing members by 2028.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Tom Kean (R-NJ) unveiled the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, which aims to secure long-term funding for the program.
The bill would update the WTCHP’s outdated funding formula, ensuring coverage remains available through the program’s scheduled expiration in 2090. It also includes provisions for expanding mental health services and improving data collection on 9/11-related health conditions.
“Yet again, we are introducing a bill to fix a projected funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program,” Gillibrand said. “Thousands of Americans risked their lives to protect our country in its darkest hour, and it is now our responsibility as members of Congress to be there for them.”
Schumer emphasized the urgency of passing the legislation, saying, “‘Never Forget’ does not mean just commemorating 9/11. It is a promise to always take care of our 9/11 first responders and survivors.”
The WTCHP was established to provide health care and monitoring for those exposed to toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero. Over the years, it has helped thousands suffering from 9/11-related illnesses, including respiratory diseases and cancers. However, rising medical costs and an outdated funding structure have left the program financially strained.
Advocates and survivors echoed lawmakers’ calls for action, with 9/11 activist John Feal stating, “The WTCHP is a lifeline for 140,000 people. $3 billion is a small ask for what we have been through.”
The bill’s sponsors stressed that securing long-term funding would ensure that 9/11 responders and survivors never have to fight for health care again. With broad bipartisan support, they urged Congress to act swiftly before funding shortfalls force cuts to care.
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