Program Laws
James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (2010), Reauthorization Act (2015), and Related Legislation
2010
On January 2, 2011, President Obama signed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 into law (Public Law 111-347). Title I of the Zadroga Act amended the Public Health Service Act to establish the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program within the Department of Health and Human Services to provide medical monitoring and treatment benefits to eligible firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers, and rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania (responders).
Title I of the Zadroga Act also established benefits for eligible persons who were present in the dust or dust cloud on September 11, 2001 or who worked, resided, or attended school, childcare, or adult daycare in the New York City Disaster Area (survivors).
James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010
2015
On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113) which includes the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act. Public Law 114-113 amended Title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act at 42 U.S.C. §§ 300mm – 300mm-61 to reauthorize the WTC Health Program for 75 years, ending in 2090.
James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2015
2019
On September 27, 2019, President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act of 2019 (Public Law 116-59) which amended Title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act at 42 U.S.C. §§ 3311(a)(4)(A) and §§ 3321(a)(3)(A) to raise the numerical limits on enrollment of 9/11 responders and survivors in the WTC Health Program.
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act of 2019
2023
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328) which amended the Public Health Service Act at 42 U.S.C. §§ 3341(c). Public Law 117-328 provided additional funding for the Program and requires the Program to establish a research cohort for emerging health and educational impacts on youth. The Administrator of the WTC Health Program, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a research cohort of sufficient size to conduct future 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, including on the population of individuals who were 21 years of age or younger at the time of exposure.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
2024
On December 22, 2023, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31) which included language amending Title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act at 42 U.S.C. §§ 3311(a)(2)(C)(III) and (IV). Public Law 118-31 provided additional funding for the Program and expands the enrollment eligibility for Pentagon and Shanksville Responders to include military personal and Federal employees and contractors.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
2026
On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75) amended Title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act at 42 U.S.C. §§ 3351(a)(2)(A) to change the formula used to calculate the Program's annual appropriation. This new formula ties the annual appropriation to the Program's enrollment trends instead of relying on a variable percentage increase in the consumer price index.