Pension Shortfalls Created when 9/11 First Responders Die Young

Hundreds of first responders from the NYPD and FDNY have died before their time from diseases caused by rescue and recovery work on the pile at Ground Zero in the months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

On the 23rd Anniversary of the terrorist attacks a bi-partisan group of Congressional leaders are seeking federal help to offset the losses from FDNY and NYPD pensions due to early deaths of hundreds of first responders.

The four main sponsors include two Democrats from Manhattan, Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), and Dan Goldman (D-NY-10) who are joined by two Long Island Republicans, Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY-04).

Their bill is called the Continued Costs of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks Act. The legislation would allow 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.

While 343 firefighters died on 9/11, the toll of firefighters who have since died of 9/11 related diseases is at 370 and counting, including 28 who died in the past year. The NYPD also says hundreds of its members have died prematurely after 9/11 related work.

Congress passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2010, which created the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) to provides 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, the Congressional leaders said.

After not initially recognizing the impact of these terrorist attacks, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) reimbursed the State and City pension systems for $290 million, based on the disaster declarations made by President Bush in the aftermath of 9/11, for unanticipated costs of the pension-linked death benefits for the 343 FDNY members 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 Continued Costs of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks Act will address the funding shortfall and safeguard FDNY and NYPD pensions.

“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 Rep. Nadler.

”The ramifications of 9/11 have reverberated far beyond what anyone initially anticipated,” said Rep. Garbarino. “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.”

“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 Rep. 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,” Rep. 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-NY-19) Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Gregory Meeks(D-NY-05), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY-26), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13).