108th Congress

Remember 9/11 Health Act

H.R. 4059

Background

H.R. 4059, the Remember 9/11 Health Act, would have provided protections and health services to certain individuals who were affected by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in New York City. The bill would have required research to comprehensively evaluate the health impacts of September 11 and would have identified the research required to determine possible treatments for the resulting illnesses and injuries.

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

Section 5 of H.R. 4059 would have amended Part B of Title IV of the Public Health Service Act to address research regarding the health conditions of individuals who assisted with the response to the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. This section would have required the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct or support diagnostic research on qualifying health conditions of individuals affected by the September 11 attacks for which there had been diagnostic uncertainty. It would have also required research to be conducted on treating qualifying health conditions of these individuals. The term “qualifying health conditions” indicated adverse health conditions that would have been considered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to be associated with exposure to the site of the terrorist attacks in New York City. The Director of NIH would have also been required to submit to Congress a report describing the research findings.

In addition, section 5 would have required the Secretary of HHS to convene a council, to be known as the “9/11 Health Emergency Coordinating Council,” to examine, discuss, and formulate recommendations with respect to Federal tracking and monitoring of possible treatment for individuals who are suffering directly from or may have long-term health effects from the September 11 attacks. The Secretary of HHS would have chaired this council, and the Director of NIH (or the Director’s designee) would have been a required member. Other members of the council would have included the Secretary of Labor, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or their respective designees, as well as State and local officials.

Status and Outlook

H.R. 4059 was introduced by Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) on March 30, 2004, and was referred to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and on Transportation and Infrastructure. No further action occurred on this legislation during the 108th Congress.