Congress aims to fund 9/11 health program deficit by adding to the upcoming $3.5T budget bill
WASHINGTON — Congress is moving to plug a funding hole of nearly $3 billion in the 9/11 health program, the Daily News has learned, by adding the money to the $3.5 trillion budget bill that the House began drawing up this week.
While the World Trade Center Health Program has the money it needs for the short-term, surging enrollments and escalating cases of cancer are pushing costs up much faster than was predicted when Congress made the program permanent in 2015.
With 9/11-related illness and costs surging, the program that treats or monitors more than 110,000 responders and survivors is looking at a shortfall of $2.86 billion over the next several years.
“As we prepare to remember the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our country, we must renew our commitment to never forget the sacrifices first responders made on that day and the survivors who continue to endure the physical and emotional trauma,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.Y.) and Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in a statement.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/congress-aims-to-fund-9-11-health-program-deficit-by-adding-to-the-upcoming-dollar35t-budget-bill/ar-AAOgR3e