TN Attorney General Co-Leads Bipartisan Coalition Urging Congress To Protect Health Care for 9/11 Responders and Survivors

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today co-led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in urging Congress to take immediate action to address the impending funding crisis threatening the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), a lifeline for more than 135,000 first responders, survivors, and families impacted by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In a letter to congressional leadership, Attorney General Skrmetti and the coalition called for urgent legislative action to ensure the long-term financial stability of the WTCHP, which is projected to face a devastating funding shortfall as early as next year.

“When I was a federal prosecutor, I was blessed to work over and over again with Tracey Harris Branch, one of the all-time great agents of the FBI,” said Attorney General Skrmetti. “Before her work in Memphis, Tracey spent months doing recovery and investigation in the aftermath of 9/11. Thousands of first responders put their lives on the line the day of the attacks, and thousands more like Tracey stepped up in the days and weeks and months after. They worked in hazardous conditions and continue to face medical risks decades later. We owe it to every one of them to have their backs. I'm proud to stand side-by-side with my fellow AGs to ask Congress to fully fund the WTC Health Program.”

Established by Congress under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, WTCHP provides free medical care, monitoring, and treatment to more than 135,000 Americans exposed to toxic dust and debris following the collapse of the Twin Towers and living with 9/11-related health conditions. Patients served by WTCHP include survivors, first responders, and people who lived or worked near the crash sites, as well as those who participated in rescue, recovery, and cleanup efforts.

The coalition argues that despite being reauthorized in 2015 and 2019 with overwhelming bipartisan support, the program now faces a severe funding shortfall that could result in the denial of care to thousands of current and future enrollees. The program is authorized to run until 2090, but that far-off date is essentially meaningless if the program is not funded during that period.

The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is calling on Congress to act swiftly and decisively to ensure WTCHP has the full funding it needs. The attorneys general strongly urge Congress to enact legislation that will both address the WTCHP funding shortfall and provide the financial stability necessary for the program to serve current and future enrollees.

Joining Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti in sending this letter to Congress 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, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

You can read the coalition’s letter to Congress here.

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