Ahead Of The 24th Anniversary Of 9/11, Senator Gillibrand Demands Full Funding Of The World Trade Center Health Program

Ahead Of The 24th Anniversary Of 9/11, Senator Gillibrand Demands Full Funding Of The World Trade Center Health Program

Sep 10, 2025

Recent Data Indicates That Nearly 50,000 People Now Have 9/11-Related Cancers

Without Congressional Action, The WTCHP Will Have To Start Turning Away First Responders And Survivors And Cut Back Access To Care By 2028

Today, ahead of the 24th anniversary of 9/11, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference demanding that Congress fully fund the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) in any upcoming funding package.

"Twenty-four years after the darkest day in our nation's history, we must honor our promise to never forget," said Senator Gillibrand. "9/11 survivors and the first responders who put their lives on the line to come to our nation's aid deserve our support as they battle horrific health conditions borne from the toxins ingested in the days and weeks after the towers fell. The World Trade Center Health Program is a lifeline for these heroes. It is our responsibility as members of Congress to fully fund this program so that no survivor has to worry about losing care. We owe our 9/11 heroes a tremendous debt, and it is past time that we get this done."

The WTCHP was established in 2011 to provide medical assistance and monitoring to those suffering from exposure to toxins at Ground Zero on and after September 11, 2001. The program covers the lifespans of those affected by the attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site, as well as children who were in schools in downtown Manhattan on 9/11 and during clean-up, and those who have since experienced, or are expected to experience, adverse health effects that are linked to the attacks and its aftermath. Since its creation, the program has served over 140,000 Americans who span all fifty states.

The WTCHP was reauthorized in 2015 and extended through 2090 with bipartisan support. In 2022, Senator Gillibrand led lawmakers in passing $1 billion for the WTCHP in the end-of-year spending bill. In 2023, Senator Gillibrand helped secure an additional $676 million for the program. Unfortunately, this funding is not enough to keep pace with the rising cost of medical care and the anticipated costs of providing care to additional responders.

If Congress does not secure additional funding for the WTCHP, the program will be forced to close enrollment to new 9/11 responders and survivors by October 2028, and existing enrollees in the program will face direct cuts to their care.

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