Marking 23 years since the September 11th terror attacks, a bipartisan Senate bill would fully fund the World Trade Center Health Program, including new research on additional 9/11-related health conditions.
"Congress made a pledge to take care of these 9/11 community members and we need them to fulfill that pledge," said Michael Barasch, an attorney who represents 9/11 survivors.
Six U.S. Senators, including Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), are cosponsors of the bill. Schumer said nearly $1.7 billion has been secure for the 9/11 health program in the past two years.
The bill would fund the health program until its expiration in 2090. "Yet again, we are introducing a bill to fix a projected funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “It’s time to fix this issue once and for all. 9/11 first responders and survivors need guaranteed health care, period."
Barasch said the available funding is insufficient to match the projected expenses of the rising cost of medical services for more than 120,000 first responders and survivors.
Without additional funding, the health program will need to stop accepting applications by 2027. The health services provided are estimated to be depleted by 2028.
