H.R. 4965House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 6:12 AM UTC

The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act updates the Public Health Service Act to give the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program more flexibility in who can provide medical evaluations and to increase its funding. It affects 9/11 responders, survivors, and the program’s administrators by expanding provider categories, correcting enrollment counts, and boosting budget allocations through 2031 and beyond.

Key Provisions

Allows physicians and other licensed health‑care providers, as defined by the Secretary, to conduct initial health evaluations and make determinations for WTC responders and survivors.
Updates credentialing rules for providers in the nationwide network, removing outdated language and reorganizing sub‑paragraphs.
Specifies that deceased responders or survivors are not counted in enrollment totals for program reporting.
Increases the program’s annual funding, setting higher amounts for FY2026‑FY2031 and establishing a formula that grows the budget each year based on enrollment trends.
Raises education and outreach funding to $2 million per year starting in FY2022 and adjusts related spending limits.
Creates a research cohort to study health and educational impacts on individuals who were 21 or younger at the time of the 9/11 attacks, and exempts this research from certain spending caps.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

August 9, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 6, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

August 6, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

August 9, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4965 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Nicole MalliotakisR-NY-11 · Jul 20, 2022

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the fact that the World Trade Center Health Program is facing a looming deficit of $3 billion. In a few weeks we are going to be commemorating the…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued August 6, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4965

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 6, 2021

Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Garbarino, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Meng, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Sires, Mr. Payne, Mr. Tonko, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Jacobs of New York, Mr. Zeldin, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. McKinley, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Himes, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Katko, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Delgado, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Reed, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Jones, and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act with respect to flexibility and funding for the World Trade Center Health Program, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act.

Flexibility for certifications under the World Trade Center Health Program

(a)

In general

Section 3305(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–4(a)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (2)(A)(ii), by inserting subject to paragraph (6), before for; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(6)

Licensed health care provider flexibility

(A)

In general

For purposes of an initial health evaluation described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii) (including any such evaluation provided under section 3321(b) or through the nationwide network under section 3313), such evaluation may be conducted by a physician or any other licensed health care provider in a category of health care providers determined by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).

(B)

Categories of licensed health care providers

Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act, the WTC Program Administrator shall issue regulations for the categories of licensed health care providers who, in addition to licensed physicians, may conduct evaluations under subparagraph (A) and make determinations under section 3312(b).

(b)

Flexibility for WTC responders

Section 3312(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–22(b)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking physician each place it appears and inserting physician or other licensed health care provider in a category determined by the Secretary under section 3305(a)(6)(B);

(2)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (A)—

(i)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking physician and inserting physician or other licensed health care provider in a category determined by the Secretary under section 3305(a)(6)(B);

(ii)

in clause (i), by striking physician and inserting physician or other licensed health care provider; and

(iii)

in clause (ii), by striking such physician's determination and inserting the determination of such physician or other licensed health care provider; and

(B)

in subparagraph (B)—

(i)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking physician determinations and inserting determinations by physicians or other licensed health care providers in categories determined by the Secretary under section 3305(a)(6)(B); and

(ii)

in clause (i), by striking physician panel and inserting panel of physicians or other licensed health care providers in categories determined by the Secretary under section 3305(a)(6)(B); and

(3)

in paragraph (5), by striking examining physician and inserting examining physician or other licensed health care provider in a category determined by the Secretary under section 3305(a)(6)(B).

Criteria for credentialing health care providers participating in the nationwide network

Title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 3305(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 300mm–4(a)(2))—

(A)

in subparagraph (A)—

(i)

by striking clause (iv); and

(ii)

by redesignating clauses (v) and (vi) as clauses (iv) and (v), respectively;

(B)

by striking subparagraph (B); and

(C)

by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and

(2)

in section 3313(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 300mm–23(b)(1)), by striking Data Centers and inserting WTC Program Administrator.

Clarifying calculation of enrollment

(a)

Responders

Section 3311(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–21(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(6)

Deceased WTC responders

An individual known to the WTC Program Administrator to be deceased shall not be included in any count of enrollees under this subsection or section 3351.

(b)

Survivors

Section 3321(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–31(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(5)

Deceased WTC survivors

An individual known to the WTC Program Administrator to be deceased shall not be included in any count of enrollees under this subsection or section 3351.

Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program

Section 3351 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–61) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)(2)(A)—

(A)

in clause (x), by striking $570,000,000; and and inserting $689,130,000;; and

(B)

by striking clause (xi) and inserting the following:

(xi)

for fiscal year 2026, $930,325,500;

(xii)

for fiscal year 2027, $1,004,751,540;

(xiii)

for fiscal year 2028, $1,085,131,663;

(xiv)

for fiscal year 2029, $1,139,388,246;

(xv)

for fiscal year 2030, $1,196,357,659;

(xvi)

for fiscal year 2031, $1,256,175,542; and

(xvii)

for each subsequent fiscal year through fiscal year 2090—

(I)

the amount determined under this subparagraph for the previous fiscal year multiplied by 1.05; multiplied by

(II)

the ratio of—

(aa)

the total number of individuals enrolled in the WTC program on July 1 of such previous fiscal year; to

(bb)

the total number of individuals so enrolled on July 1 of the fiscal year prior to such previous fiscal year; plus

; and

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

(3)

Education and outreach

For the purpose of carrying out section 3303—

(A)

for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021, $750,000; and

(B)

for fiscal year 2022 and each subsequent fiscal year, $2,000,000.

;

(B)

in paragraph (4)—

(i)

by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A)

for fiscal year 2021, the amount determined for such fiscal year under this paragraph as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act;

; and

(ii)

in subparagraph (B), by striking 2017, $15,000,000 and inserting 2022, $20,000,000; and

(C)

in paragraph (5)—

(i)

by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A)

;

(ii)

by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and

(iii)

by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B)

for fiscal year 2022, $20,000,000; and

Research cohort for emerging health impacts on youth

(a)

In general

Section 3341 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–51) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

(c)

Research cohort for emerging health impacts on youth

The WTC Program Administrator shall establish a research cohort of sufficient size to conduct research studies on the health and educational impacts of exposure to airborne toxins, or any other hazard or adverse condition, resulting from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the population of individuals who were 21 years of age or younger at the time of exposure and who are enrolled in the WTC Program or otherwise eligible for enrollment in the Program under section 3321.

(b)

Spending limitation exemption

Section 3351(c)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–61(c)(5)) is amended in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting (other than subsection (c) of such section) after section 3341.

(c)

Conforming amendment

Section 3301(f)(2)(E) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm(f)(2)(E)) is amended by striking section 3341(a) and inserting subsection (a) or (c) of section 3341.