Lawmakers across both sides of the aisle along with 9/11 advocates and other officials will introduce a bill on Tuesday to close the funding gap in the in the World Trade Center Health Program.
U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) as well as Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-2), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY-4), and Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10) will be joined by 9/11 health program advocates, responders and survivors in introducing the bill. Those supporters include International Association of Fire Fighters General President Edward Kelly, 9/11 advocate John Feal, union representatives of NYPD and FDNY and medical professionals.
Although lawmakers delivered $1 billion for the program last year, there remains a “substantial funding gap and excludes some Pentagon and Shanksville responders,” officials said in a media advisory.
The bill would address the long-term funding shortfall, allow excluded Pentagon and Shanksville responders to join the program, and make technical corrections to the program.
Adina Genn
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