Troubled 9/11 Fund Receives a Lifeline of $676M from Senate
The Senate has approved $676 million towards a healthcare fund for first responders and others affected by toxic chemicals during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The World Trade Center Health Program will receive new funding in the 2024 budget, expanding eligibility to more 9/11 responders. New York Democrat Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer led the effort, which garnered bipartisan support. Many first responders, residents, workers, and students in downtown New York were sickened by breathing toxic air and later developed respiratory diseases and cancers. The legislation is seen as a significant step forward in ensuring that the first responders and those injured on 9/11 are not forgotten. Senator Schumer paid tribute to the bravery and selflessness of the first responders who rushed to danger on that fateful day and highlighted the ongoing health issues faced by those exposed to the dust, air, and poisons at the attack sites. This funding aims to close the funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program and provide care for all those still suffering from 9/11-related illnesses.
