The Trump administration is expected to stop its cuts to staff and funding for a federal program that supports 9/11 survivors through medical treatment and research, following significant public outcry across the political spectrum, according to several New York congressmembers.
The World Trade Center Health Program aids roughly 130,000 first responders and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon in Northern Virginia and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It falls under the umbrella of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and also conducts research into 9/11-related illnesses and treatments.
The program was targeted for reductions as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government, New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote in a letter to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week. The Democratic senators said that about 20% of the program’s staff had either been fired or were taking buyouts, putting it at risk. They added that the administration was slashing research grants for monitoring FDNY members’ health for any emerging illnesses tied to exposure at the original World Trade Center site.
“This is betrayal of our heroes who stepped up and risked their lives to put our community back together in one of our nation’s darkest hours, and we will not let it stand,” Gillibrand said in a statement at the time. Republican lawmakers also criticized the move.
But late Thursday, several GOP members of New York’s congressional delegation said the cuts were not going through after all.
“We just received confirmation from the White House that there will be no cuts to staffing at the World Trade Center Healthcare Program and research grants related to 9/11 illnesses,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis wrote in a post on X. Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota hailed the news as well.
However, the head of an organization that advocates for the legislation that created the World Trade Center Health Program, said workers hadn't been notified of any reversal to staff cuts as of mid-day Friday.
“We know that members of the program have been adversely impacted by these cuts already, since one staffer terminated was in charge of cancer certifications for the program, which means that there must be growing delays in cancer certifications, delaying care," Benjamin Chevat, executive director of the Citizens for Extension of the James Zadroga Act, told Gothamist by email. “Every day that these cuts remain in place the impact of the loss of staff on program members grows. These staffers need to be back at their jobs serving the 9/11 community.”
Schumer told CBS News in a statement that “9/11 cancer research and funding for FDNY should have never been on the chopping block.”
“I am pleased the CDC has heeded my call to restore this grant for 9/11 first responders,” he said. “Now they need to fully uphold their promise and reverse the firings of World Trade Center Health staff to ensure care for 9/11 survivors and first responders continues uninterrupted."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.
This is a developing story and has been updated with more information.
