Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton met today with Admiral John O. Agwunobi Assistant Secretary for Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services to discuss the details of the Administration's recent commitment of $25 million for 9/11 healthcare.

Last month, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) indicated that they would make $25 million available in the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2008. At the meeting today, the Senator presented Admiral Agwunobi with a letter detailing her concerns and questions about the funding which she still sees as insufficient to take care of the significant health needs that 9/11 workers, responders, residents, volunteers, students and others are facing.

"It was a pleasure to meet with Dr. Agwunobi today and to talk through the critical details of this funding. I was pleased when the Administration made the commitment to include $25 million in the FY 2008 Budget but I remain fundamentally convinced that it is simply not enough to take care of those who need it. I also think the devil is in the details and I want to work with Dr. Agwunobi to ensure that this funding goes exactly where it is needed in a timely way and without taking funds from other critical programs," Senator Clinton said.

John O. Agwunobi, M.D.
Assistant Secretary for Health
United States Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Dr. Agwunobi:

I was very pleased to hear from Office of Management and Budget Director Portman last month that future funding has been promised, and I am pleased that we can meet to discuss this today.

My central aim is to ensure that this is not a hollow promise.

The $25 million is an important first step; however, it is not enough to meet the growing need. As Mayor Bloomberg pointed out yesterday, it will require far more to help provide the full assistance the responders and workers require, and we need to figure out a plan for the populations not currently eligible for the federally funded programs - residents, office workers and students.

Further to my concerns that this funding is simply not enough, I have a number of questions which I would like answered about the nature of the funding itself and how it will be administered, which I think are also critical to the goal of providing the funds where they are most needed.

In the President's FY 2008 Budget request, the $25 million was allocated to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Can you confirm whether this amount will be directed through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)? The purpose of the money was to make sure the current programs are still able to treat their patients, so I want to make sure that it will not be administered through another structure to avoid any unnecessary delays in the funds being delivered.

If currently existing programs need additional funds before the FY08 cycle, there was a commitment made by the Administration to provide it. Can you clarify where this money would come from? I want to ensure that it is not taken from what is left of the $90 million in medical monitoring money that I and others worked to secure.

I understand that HHS is expected to come out with a report on 9/11 health issues in the near future. What do you hope to achieve by the report, and what is its current status?

Finally, I will be holding a hearing through the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) on March 21st, and will be asking for HHS to testify. Mayor Bloomberg has already agreed to testify and I hope that HHS will as well.

The Mayor's WTC Health Panel makes a strong case for why long-term, sustained assistance is needed from the federal government. The report makes some critical recommendations on what should be done to help take care of those who are suffering devastating health effects as a result of 9/11, and I look forward to working with you on their implementation.

The federal government has a responsibility to our 9/11 heroes to make sure there is adequate funding to meet the growing need. Just as we are beginning to fully realize the extent of the damage that was done to the health of those at Ground Zero, the very program that is treating their conditions faces an uncertain future. We cannot allow these critical healthcare services to cease operating due to lack of support. These brave, selfless men and women need our help and we must continue to uphold our commitment to them.

Sincerely yours,

Hillary Rodham Clinton