News of Program’s Disappearance Comes as Administration’s Attempt to Take Back $125 Million In 9/11 Workers’ Aid Advances

WASHINGTON, DC - In response to repeated requests for information by Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently admitted that a medical monitoring program for federal 9/11 responders disappeared in 2003 against all anticipated protocol and medical expectations.

Even though thousands of federal workers responded to Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks, the medical monitoring program meant to provide them with a quick diagnosis and ongoing screening saw fewer than 600 people before disappearing. The breadth of any attempts by the Bush administration to inform federal 9/11 responders of the program’s existence is unclear at this point, even though $3.7 million was provided for the program’s operations.

Today, Congresswoman Maloney urged immediate answers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security as to why the program was dissembled and when, what happened to the resources provided to operate the program, and what effects the program’s disappearance may have had on the health of federal 9/11 responders. Maloney’s letter to HHS Secretary Leavitt and Homeland Secretary Chertoff is available at: http://maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/Sept11/fedemployees08252005.pdf

“It’s baffling and appalling that an entire program for the health of 9/11 responders has gone missing for years,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “The total disappearance of this medical program, combined with the administration’s ongoing attempt to take back $125 million in 9/11 workers aid, raises serious questions about the President’s commitment the to the health and well-being of 9/11 responders. As we approach the four year anniversary of 9/11, it is unbelievable that there is still no plan from the administration to deal with growing health effects among 9/11 workers.”

Jon Adler, vice president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers' Association, said, “We seem to have inherited our own Loch Ness monster in terms of being able to find this monitoring. We’re hopeful that a much needed health screening program will now become available to the many federal responders who proudly served after 9/11.”

Background: In addition to the need for a fully operational medical monitoring program for federal 9/11 responders, another serious need remains for an extended monitoring program for all 9/11 responders.

The current WTC Worker and Volunteer Medical Monitoring Program is funded for only five years, through a $90 million allocation from Congress. Only an extended monitoring program of approximately twenty years would allow for long-term tracking and treating of late-developing illnesses including potential cancers and liver diseases among other concerns.

Also, no federally supported program for the treatment of 9/11 responder injuries exists, even four years after the disaster. Legislation to expand the monitoring program for 9/11 responders and residents around Ground Zero, and to provide a safety-net treatment program, has been introduced by Congresswoman Maloney, Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT), and several members of the New York delegation. Information on that bill is available at: http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=152&Itemid=61

Additionally, because many 9/11 responders have realized the severity of 9/11-related illness only recently, have developed late-onset illness related to 9/11, or were never fully informed about their eligibility for the federal Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), legislation has been introduced to re-open the VCF for responders who fit those criteria. It is available also at the web link above.

Finally, Congresswoman Maloney together with numerous members of the New York Congressional delegation have been working to stop the President’s proposed rescission of $125 million in federal aid meant to assist with 9/11 workers compensation claims. Information on the remaining need for those funds and on the ongoing effort to prevent the take back of the funds by Congress is available at: http://malone.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=61

A Congressional field hearing to examine the response to 9/11 attacks will be held by Congressman Shays on September 10, 2005 in lower-Manhattan, joined by Congresswoman Maloney and others. The hearing will begin at 10:00 a..m at the New York County Lawyers Association on 14 Vesey Street. More information can be obtained by calling the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations at (202) 225-2548.

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