FEMA Would Reimburse Lost Payments Due to Unanticipated Deaths of Those Who Were at Ground Zero
On the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-Patchogue) — who was joined by co-leads Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-Lower Manhattan), Anthony D’Esposito (R-Garden City) and Dan Goldman (D-Brooklyn) — introduced the Continued Costs of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks Act. This legislation would allow the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to reimburse the state and city pension systems for the loss in pension payments due to the unanticipated deaths of those who responded to the terrorist attacks and who participated in the clean-up in the weeks following the attacks.
Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010, which created the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) to provide health care to those suffering from 9/11-related illnesses and reopened the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. In subsequent years, Congress, with bipartisan support in 2015 and 2019, moved to expand both programs’ funding and extend their authorizations to ensure that both those injured and their families get the help they need and deserve. Unfortunately, there are still costs associated with the terrorist attacks that are accruing on an annual basis, reverberating through the FDNY and NYPD pension systems.
After not initially recognizing the impact of these terrorist attacks, FEMA reimbursed the state and city pension systems for $290 million, based on the disaster declarations made by then-President George W. Bush in the aftermath of 9/11, for unanticipated costs of the pension-linked death benefits for the 343 members of the FDNY and 28 active-duty and retired NYPD officers killed that fateful day. However, New York City’s Office of the Actuary estimates that the cost of 9/11-related retirements and deaths has soared to roughly $3.4 billion — and will keep growing.
“The ramifications of 9/11 have reverberated far beyond what anyone initially anticipated,” Garbarino said. “We lost nearly 3,000 Americans that day, but no one knew that we’d lose thousands more in the aftermath to 9/11-related illnesses. It’s an unimaginable truth and one that only amplifies the horror of these attacks. Now that this is our reality, we must take action to ensure our brave first responders are taken care of. The Continued Costs of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks Act will reimburse New York State and City pension systems and ensure the families of our heroes are able to receive the pensions earned by their loved ones.”
“Twenty-three years have passed since the 9/11 attacks, but we continue to carry the burden of that terrible day. I will never forget the moment when I went down to the World Trade Center. The scene was absolutely horrific. We are still facing costs associated with the terrorist attacks, and the FDNY and NYPD pension systems are now facing shortfalls due to the unanticipated costs due to the deaths of the brave first responders who were killed that day. We must ensure that the families of these heroes continue to receive the benefits that they deserve,” said Nadler.
“The negative impacts of September 11th continue to be felt in a myriad of ways, one of them being the serious financial strain the attack has caused New York’s pension system which is a crucial lifeline for so many first responders and other survivors,” said D’Esposito. “I am proud to co-sponsor the bipartisan Continued Costs of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks Act to ensure New York’s pension system does not face a shortfall caused by lingering effects of 9/11, and this crucial retirement fund remains properly funded for years to come.”
“I will never forget the scenes of devastation and destruction – and also the heroism – that I witnessed while living in Lower Manhattan on September 11th,” Goldman said. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. But in attempting to make them whole, FDNY and NYPD’s pension systems have been severely impacted. I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to right this wrong and ensure our city and state can continue to support our first responders.”
Additional original cosponsors include Representatives Brandon Williams (R-NY-22), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), Marc Molinaro (R-Binghamton) Paul Tonko (D-Albany), Nydia Velazquez (D-Sunnyside), Grace Meng (D-Flushing), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Astoria), Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica), Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River), Timothy Kennedy (D-Buffalo), Jamaal Bowman (D-White Plains), Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), Yvette Clarke (D-Brooklyn), Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), and Adriano Espaillat (D-Harlem).