HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday, as part of a coalition of 39 Attorneys General, sent a letter to the U.S. Congress asking for action to address a looming shortfall to the World Trade Center Health Program — which provides care to the many first responders and volunteers who were harmed by toxic materials following the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11.
For nearly fifteen years, the program has assisted more than 135,000 Americans exposed to toxic dust and debris. Those firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs, construction workers, volunteers, and community members live across the country, including in Pennsylvania. They are suffering from chronic respiratory illnesses, cancers, mental health conditions, and other serious ailments directly linked to 9/11.
Without action from Congress, the program is projected to experience a significant funding shortfall as early as 2026.
“These true American heroes deserve urgent attention from federal authorities who can ensure healthcare will always be available to them,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I, like so many Americans, watched the devastation and horror that unfolded following the acts of terrorism on 9/11, and these brave first responders and volunteers off the street ran into hellish conditions to rescue people who otherwise would have perished.”
The World Trade Center Health Program was established with strong bipartisan support through the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, and reauthorized in both 2015 and 2019.
Approximately 400,000 people were exposed to the toxic air around Ground Zero. While one-third of them have already enrolled in the Program, the reality is that, even 24 years later, first responders and survivors are still getting sick at an alarming rate. Increased demand for services and treatment means that current funding levels will not assure that essential care for everyone.
READ the Attorneys General’s letter to Congress.
Joining Attorney General Sunday in sending this letter are the attorneys general of American Samoa, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
# # #