Washington, DC -- Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Carolyn Maloney (NY-12) led a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Program Administrator for the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), urging expedience in making the final determination on adding uterine cancer to the list of covered conditions by the World Trade Center Health Program.
"Now that the public comment period has ended, it is absolutely essential that the decision to include uterine cancer takes place as soon as possible," said Congresswoman Sherrill. "We must protect and support the Americans who put their own lives on the line to save others during and after the 9/11 terrorist attack. In New York City's darkest hours, these female volunteers bravely helped us rebuild. It is now time that we support them in their continued battle with uterine cancer connected to these heroic efforts."
"On 9/11, responders and survivors put their lives on the line during a time when our nation was under attack. In the years since, tens of thousands of people, including responders, relief workers, and residents, have suffered severe impacts – including uterine cancer - as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals, pulverized drywall, and powdered cement," said Congresswoman Maloney. "We cannot ignore the health needs of those that risked their lives for their fellow New Yorkers and Americans. They were there for us, and now is the time for us to be there for them and include uterine cancer on the list of covered conditions by the World Trade Center Health Program."
The WTCHP provides medical treatment and monitoring to those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and covers a number of different types of cancers, but currently, does not include uterine cancer. Evidence provided by scientists and physicians from the Rutgers WTCHP Clinical Center of Excellence suggests a link between uterine cancer and dust from the World Trade Center. As a result, a petition was submitted to add uterine cancer as a covered condition in September 2020, all while those who served at Ground Zero and subsequently developed uterine cancer waited for the condition to be covered. The letter urges the WTCHP to make a prompt decision and act swiftly to assist those who responded in the wake of 9/11 and are negatively affected by this oversight.
Find the full text of the letter below:
July 29, 2022
Dear Secretary Becerra, Director Young, Dr. Walensky, and Dr Howard:
We are writing to you today regarding the proposed rulemaking by the World Trade Center Health Program: Addition of Uterine Cancer to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions (RIN 0920–AA82), for which the public comment period ended last month.
As you may know, we wrote to Dr John Howard, Program Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) on August 2, 2021 to urge a speedy decision on the inclusion of uterine cancer as a covered condition within the WTCHP. At that time, we stated:
We applaud the good work that the WTCHP continues to do for those that it serves. This work honors the lives of those impacted directly by the tragedy of 9/11. However, for the women impacted by the decision not to include uterine cancer as a certified condition, this work remains undone. The women whose lives have been affected by this disaster deserve a prompt decision in light of new evidence.
As we stated last summer, this issue deserves a prompt determination. Uterine cancer remains the only major cancer that is not covered by the program. In November 2021, after reviewing available evidence, the WTC Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) unanimously recommended that all types of uterine cancer be added to the list of WTC-related cancers.
We understand that the rulemaking process takes time, and we believe that the WTCHP has acted as quickly as possible to go through the formal review, evaluation, and determination process required for adding new conditions for coverage under the program. Now with the conclusion of the public comment period, we are again urging speed in making the final determination on adding uterine cancer to the list of covered conditions by the WTCHP.
Each of you and your departments, offices, and agencies have a role in this process, and we are urging you to finalize this decision as quickly as possible and expedite the approval process, consistent with all applicable rules and regulations.
Given the work that has been done, we hope that you will swiftly process the final determination and issue the final rule to add uterine cancer to the list of WTC-related health conditions. We look forward to working with you to address this important matter. Thank you for your fair and full consideration.
Sincerely,
/s/ /s/
Mikie Sherrill Carolyn B. Maloney
Member of Congress Member of Congress
/s/ /s/
Yvette D. Clarke Adriano Espaillat
Member of Congress Member of Congress
/s/ /s/
Andrew R. Garbarino Josh Gottheimer
Member of Congress Member of Congress
/s/ /s/
Grace Meng Jerrold Nadler
Member of Congress Member of Congress
/s/ /s/
Thomas Suozzi Ritchie Torres
Member of Congress Member of Congress
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Original source can be found here.
