To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate

Congress needs to pass permanent authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is running out of money and families are seeing up to a 70% cut in their payments. Congress must immediately vote to support the bipartisan bill "Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund" to authorize full, permanent funding for the victims and families of the 9/11 attacks.

Why is this important?

We've made numerous trips down to Washington, DC over the years to fight for 9/11 victims and their families. Even though the experience is exhausting and infuriating—emotionally and physically—we keep fighting for the 9/11 responders and survivors in the Health Program who are in all 50 States and in 434 out of 435 Congressional Districts.

The number of people coming forward with illnesses and cancers related to the exposures to toxins at Ground Zero grows every single day. Nearly every other day another 9/11 responder or survivor reportedly dies from a 9/11 associated cancer. As the consequences of these attacks grow so too do the costs which are taking a significant toll on the current funding for the victims of this tragic day.

Chronic diseases like asthma, obstructive pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and cancer continue to plague those who were exposed to the many toxins and carcinogens on 9/11 and in the weeks and months after.

Currently more than 45,000 people who are in the World Trade Center Health program are suffering from at least one certified 9/11 condition caused by the toxins at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville crash site—a large percentage have multiple conditions.

It is Congress’s responsibility to provide the Victims Compensation Fund with all the funding needed to make sure that 9/11 responders and survivors get the help they need and deserve.

The new bipartisan bill "Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund," may be one of the few bipartisan bills that can pass Congress this session—and we don't have time to sit around playing political games.

This is not a partisan political issue. We will talk to anyone—anywhere—anytime—to make it clear that our loyalty is to those who sacrificed so much for their communities.

We ask so much of our Nation’s first responders and volunteers—from firefighters to disaster response volunteers. Let us not repay their selflessness with apathy. Sign the petition. Demand your members of Congress vote to support the bill.

We need your support, energy, and love!