Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday joined 38 other attorneys general in urging Congress to address a projected funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides healthcare to first responders and others affected by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The program, established under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 and reauthorized in 2015 and 2019, serves more than 135,000 individuals nationwide who were exposed to toxic dust and debris. Many of these individuals, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs, construction workers, and volunteers, continue to suffer from chronic illnesses such as respiratory conditions, cancer, and mental health disorders.
The program is expected to face a significant funding shortfall as early as 2026 due to increased demand and rising treatment costs. An estimated 400,000 people were exposed to hazardous conditions near Ground Zero, with one-third already enrolled in the program.
In their letter, the coalition of attorneys general urged Congress to ensure continued access to care for those still facing health consequences more than two decades after the attacks.
Attorneys general from American Samoa, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the 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, the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming also signed the letter.
