As New York City prepares to pay tribute to the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, advocates are pressing Congress to secure vital funding for the 9/11 survivors and first responders. A news conference held at City Hall by NYC Council members and first responder advocates called attention to the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, which aims to revise the funding formula for the World Trade Center Health Program and to bring mental health evaluations under its umbrella, as reported by CBS News New York.
According to CBS News New York, Councilmember Linda Lee emphasized the need "to make sure that that funding is in place" for treatments ranging from PTSD to cancer care. First responder advocate John Feal stated, "This program saves lives," highlighting a dissonance between the recurring pledge to 'never forget' and the reality of ailing heroes. The proposed act is an answer to the program's inability to keep up with rising demands. "New data ... shows that 9/11-linked cancers have surged 143% in just the past five years," Councilmember Julie Menin said, pointing to nearly 50,000 program participants diagnosed with related cancers, including her mother who died eight years prior.
In a parallel push for accountability, Democrats are seeking explanations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the handling of the program. An NBC News report detailed a letter from six Democratic Senators questioning why it has not expanded its medical coverage to include autoimmune and cardiac conditions, among others. The program has been marred by staffing fluctuations and delayed appointment times, intensifying the urgency for those in need of its services.
The World Trade Center Health Program is currently a lifeline for over 140,000 people, as explained by Lee, but if Congress does not act, those falling sick post-2027 may find its doors closed to them. Frustration is palpable among legislators, with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand demanding the lifting of a hiring freeze—and with mounting pressures, the call for action grows louder. Gillibrand, with Sen. Chuck Schumer, underscored in a letter how "Without adequate supervisory staff, activities will fall short of what is required because proper oversight cannot be provided," according to NBC News. In a stark warning, Michael Barasch, representing 9/11 responders and survivors, stated, "people are going to die because of those waits."
Meanwhile, the memorialization of FDNY members who succumbed to 9/11-related illnesses continues, with 39 new names added to the World Trade Center Memorial Wall, as reported by CBS News New York. FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker declared during the somber ceremony, "God bless our fallen and their families." This solemn pledge sits parallel to the fierce advocacy and legislative efforts aiming to ensure the health program not only remembers but sustains those who carry the day's physical and mental scars.
