U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are denouncing what they describe as a devastating blow to 9/11 survivors and first responders, after the Trump administration slashed staff from the World Trade Center Health Program.
The senators say the move eliminates nearly all personnel at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which supports critical functions of the WTCHP. The firings include Dr. John Howard, the program’s longtime administrator, responsible for overseeing medical coverage and ensuring compliance with federal law.
“This is the third time in four months that Trump has pulled the rug out from 9/11 survivors and their families,” Schumer said. “These cuts will delay and deny care for our sick first responders suffering from cancer, respiratory illness and more. It is nothing less than a complete betrayal.”
Gillibrand called the move “an outrageous betrayal of ‘never forget,’” warning that the firings will cripple the program’s ability to serve those affected by the 2001 terrorist attacks. “President Trump is abandoning the heroes who stepped up and risked their lives in one of our nation’s darkest hours,” she said.
According to 9/11 health care advocates, the WTCHP cannot function without NIOSH, as it relies on its staff for medical expertise and the ability to petition for new covered conditions. WTCHP staff are not doctors and cannot independently make these determinations.
This is the latest setback for the program, which has endured months of instability. In December, Schumer and Gillibrand fought to include permanent WTCHP funding in a bipartisan health package, only to see it removed when Trump and Elon Musk opposed the broader deal. In February, the Trump administration cut the WTCHP workforce, later reversing course under pressure.
Now, with the firing of key personnel—including the very officials reinstated after February’s outcry—the program is once again in limbo. Advocates warn that care could be disrupted for thousands of responders and survivors across the country. The WTCHP currently serves individuals in every state and in 434 out of 435 congressional districts.
First established in 2011, the WTCHP provides lifetime medical monitoring and treatment to those exposed to toxins at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site. The program was reauthorized in 2015 and extended through 2090. Congress has delivered over $1.6 billion in additional funding since 2022.
Schumer and Gillibrand are demanding immediate action from the administration and the Department of Health and Human Services to restore the program’s staff and stability. “Everyone should be furious,” Schumer said. “I will not stop until the staff and program is fully restored.”
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].