Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Announcement Of New Legislation To Permanently Fund The World Trade Center Health Program

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on new legislation his announcement to permanently fund the World Trade Center Health Program. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

We all know that in the aftermath of 9/11, many of our brave first responders suffered severe health complications – lifelong injuries, serious cancers. Many of them – far too many of them – are no longer with us.

I remember them, as they trod these halls to try and pass this legislation, even though they were suffering from cancer. My friend, Ray Pfeifer, I think of him all the time. He’s gone now, looking down upon us, smiling that we’re moving forward.

So, I fought hard to establish and fund the World Trade Center Health Program, and to help our 9/11 heroes get care at no cost to them or their families.

Sadly, the program has struggled with funding over the years. But today, we have some very good news, very good news.

I just returned from a press conference with my colleague, Senator Gillibrand, and members, Democrat and Republican, of the New York delegation in the House, and we announced legislation to permanently fund the World Trade Center Health Program. That's right, not coming back year after year, getting a little more and a little more, but permanent. We need to fund it permanently. There are people still getting cancers, first responders and others, who rushed to the towers after 9/11, but their cancers don't show up until ten, twenty, thirty years later. We can't leave them behind.

This funding will make sure everyone who has been exposed to the toxins after 9/11 will get the treatment they need. Because the program screens early, we catch more people, we save more lives, and frankly it costs less to keep them alive.

I am proud to have secured nearly $1.7 billion for this program over the last two years – a billion two years ago, $700 million this year – just to keep extending the program because it was running out of money because more people are getting these cancers and other illnesses. But it was clear to all of us that we needed to do more.

By providing permanent funding for this program, our legislation will make sure our 9/11 heroes never ever have to worry about getting the care they need. They won't have to constantly traipse down on subways from New York and elsewhere to lobby Congress and go to those with somewhat hardened hearts and show why it's needed.

Let's pass this bill. Let's make it permanent. I promise to those first responders, to Ray Pfeifer, and all those who have been lost and fought for this, that I will do all I can to make sure this permanent bill becomes law by the end of the year.

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