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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 18, 2025
9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025
This bill modifies the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), including by updating the formula for determining the program’s annual funding amounts and authorizing mental health providers to provide certain evaluations under the program.
The WTCHP is a federal health care program (terminating in FY2090) providing responders and survivors with monitoring and treatment of certified medical conditions related to the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. Under current law, the program’s annual federal funding is determined based on the amount specifically appropriated in the previous fiscal year, adjusted for inflation.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
The bill establishes a new federal funding formula for FY2026-FY2090 that is generally based on annual changes in the number of enrollees. The bill also increases the amounts the program may spend annually on medical research and activities relating to data collection. The bill requires the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which administers the program, to submit a report to Congress on the program’s projected budgetary needs and expenditures.
In addition, the bill authorizes licensed mental health providers to perform initial health evaluations with respect to mental health conditions for purposes of determining eligibility under the WTCHP. NIOSH must issue regulations specifying the categories of mental health providers that may perform these activities.
People & committees
Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2] · R–NY
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Jul 18, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-18 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would change funding and administration of the World Trade Center Health Program for responders and survivors. It would let additional licensed mental health professionals perform certain evaluations and determinations, and exclude people known to have died from specified enrollment counts. It would revise funding calculations, including a formula using annual enrollment changes, and require a long-term budget assessment. These are proposed changes; the supplied record does not establish enactment.
such evaluation may be conducted by a physician or any other licensed mental health provider in a category of mental health providers determined by the WTC Program Administrator
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.
An individual known to the WTC Program Administrator to be deceased shall not be included in any count of certified-eligible survivors under this section or in any count of enrollees under section 3351.
the amount determined under this subparagraph for the previous fiscal year multiplied by 1.07; 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
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary) shall conduct an assessment of anticipated budget authority and outlays of the World Trade Center Health Program (referred to in this section as the Program) through the duration of the Program
Source snapshot updated 2026-07-18T00:01:45Z. 2025-02-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 2025-02-18: Introduced in House
Section 2 would allow initial mental health evaluations to be performed by physicians or other licensed mental health providers in categories determined by the program administrator. This would include evaluations under section 3321(b) and through the nationwide network.
For purposes of an initial health evaluation described in paragraph (1)(A) with respect to a mental health condition (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 mental health provider in a category of mental health providers determined by the WTC Program Administrator under subparagraph (B).
Within 180 days after enactment, the program administrator would have to issue regulations identifying which categories of licensed mental health providers could perform these evaluations and make the referenced mental health determinations.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, the WTC Program Administrator shall issue regulations for the categories of licensed mental health providers who, in addition to licensed physicians, may conduct evaluations under subparagraph (A) with respect to a mental health condition and make determinations under section 3312(b) with respect to such a condition.
For responders' mental health conditions, section 2 would also expand several existing references to physicians and physician panels to include qualified mental health providers. A provider would qualify only if licensed and in a category selected by the program administrator.
(b) Flexibility for WTC responders Section 3312(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–22(b)) is amended
by striking physician and inserting physician (or, in the case of a mental health condition, a physician or any other qualified mental health provider)
by striking physician panel and inserting panel of physicians (or, in the case of a mental health condition, physicians or other qualified mental health providers)
the term qualified mental health provider means a licensed mental health provider in a category determined by the WTC Program Administrator under section 3305(a)(6)(B).
Section 3 concerns criteria for approving health care providers in the nationwide network. It would delete two specified portions of existing law and replace “Data Centers” with “WTC Program Administrator” in another provision. The deleted requirements and surrounding duties are not reproduced, so their practical scope cannot be determined from this text alone.
3. Criteria for credentialing health care providers participating in the nationwide network
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)
in section 3313(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 300mm–23(b)(1)), by striking Data Centers and inserting WTC Program Administrator.
Section 4 would exclude responders and survivors known by the program administrator to have died from the specified enrollment counts. For survivors, this includes counts of survivors certified as eligible; for both groups, it includes enrollment counts under the program's funding section.
(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.
(5) Deceased WTC survivors An individual known to the WTC Program Administrator to be deceased shall not be included in any count of certified-eligible survivors under this section or in any count of enrollees under section 3351.
6. Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (a) In general Section 3351 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–61) is amended
Section 5 would replace “90” with “180” in two provisions concerning the time period for adding health conditions to the responders' list. The underlying sentences are not supplied, so the precise deadlines and actions they govern are not established here.
5. Time period for adding health conditions to list for WTC responders Section 3312(a)(6) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–22(a)(6)) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking 90 and inserting 180; and (2) in subparagraph (C), in the second sentence, by striking 90 and inserting 180.
For fiscal years 2026 through 2090, section 6 would replace one component of the funding formula with the previous fiscal year's amount under the referenced subparagraph, multiplied by 1.07 and then adjusted for enrollment changes. The enrollment adjustment would divide the July 1 enrollment in the previous fiscal year by the July 1 enrollment a year earlier. This does not establish a fixed 7 percent increase in total program funding.
in subsection (a)(2)(A), by amending clause (xi) to read as follows: (xi) for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2090— (I) the amount determined under this subparagraph for the previous fiscal year multiplied by 1.07; 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
For both paragraphs (4) and (5) of the existing funding subsection (c), the bill would retain the fiscal year 2025 amount determined under the law in effect immediately before enactment. The purposes of those two paragraphs are not reproduced.
in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (4)— (i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) for fiscal year 2025, 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 of 2025;
(B) in paragraph (5)— (i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: (A) for fiscal year 2025, 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 of 2025;
For fiscal year 2026, the amount under each of those two funding paragraphs would be the greater of its pre-enactment statutory amount or the previous year's actual spending for the paragraph's purposes increased by 25 percent.
(ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows: (B) for fiscal year 2026, the greater of— (i) 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 of 2025; and (ii) the amount expended for the previous fiscal year for the purposes described in this paragraph increased by 25 percent;
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: (B) for fiscal year 2026, the greater of— (i) 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 of 2025; and (ii) the amount expended for the previous fiscal year for the purpose described in this paragraph increased by 25 percent;
In subparagraph (C) of each of those funding paragraphs, the bill would replace the previous year's specified amount with the amount actually spent for the relevant purposes. The remaining calculation rules are not reproduced.
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the amount specified under this paragraph for the previous fiscal year and inserting the amount expended for the previous fiscal year for such purposes
(iv) in subparagraph (C), as so redesignated, by striking the amount specified under this paragraph for the previous fiscal year and inserting the amount expended for the previous fiscal year for such purpose.
Section 6 would require remaining amounts in the Supplemental Fund, Special Fund, and Pentagon/Shanksville Fund to return to the Treasury under section 1552 of title 31, United States Code. The bill does not reproduce that statute's timing or conditions.
Amounts remaining in the Supplemental Fund shall revert to the Treasury in accordance with section 1552 of title 31, United States Code.
Amounts remaining in the Special Fund shall revert to the Treasury in accordance with section 1552 of title 31, United States Code.
Amounts remaining in the Pentagon/Shanksville Fund shall revert to the Treasury in accordance with section 1552 of title 31, United States Code.
Within three years after enactment, the Secretary of Health and Human Services would have to assess the program's anticipated budget authority and outlays over the program's duration. The Secretary would submit a report to the specified congressional leaders and committees.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary) shall conduct an assessment of anticipated budget authority and outlays of the World Trade Center Health Program (referred to in this section as the Program) through the duration of the Program and submit a report summarizing such assessment to— (1) the Speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives; (2) the majority and minority leaders of the Senate; (3) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Committee on the Budget of the Senate; and (4) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives.
The report would project annual budget needs and assess funding authority and spending through fiscal year 2090. It would compare budget forecasts with actual spending from fiscal year 2017 through the fiscal year before the report is issued, and include any Secretary recommendations for funding-formula changes to cover expected spending through 2090.
(1) a projection of Program budgetary needs on a per-fiscal year basis through fiscal year 2090; (2) a review of Program modeling for each of fiscal years 2017 through the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the report is issued to assess how anticipated budgetary needs compared to actual expenditures; (3) an assessment of the projected budget authority and expenditures of the Program through fiscal year 2090; and (4) any recommendations of the Secretary to make changes to the formula under section 3351(a)(2)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300mm–61(a)(2)(A)), as amended by section 6(a)(1), to fully offset anticipated Program expenditures through fiscal year 2090.
The supplied action snapshot, updated July 18, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 18, 2025. It supplies no later legislative actions.
Source snapshot updated 2026-07-18T00:01:45Z. 2025-02-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 2025-02-18: Introduced in House 2025-02-18: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-18. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place outside general program funding or statutory formulas was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version; it does not establish formal earmark status or absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential treatment beyond the program's ordinary coverage and administration was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jul 18, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI