White House Moves to Reverse Firings at 9/11 Health Program

Efforts are underway to reinstate Dr. John Howard and other staff after layoffs disrupted care for 137,000 responders and survivors.

Dr. John Howard, longtime administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, was fired as part of HHS layoffs ordered by the Trump administration.
The layoffs, which included hundreds of staff from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, threaten to delay care for 9/11 responders and survivors with illnesses like cancer and respiratory diseases.
The White House is working to reverse these firings following bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and advocates who call the decision a betrayal of 9/11 heroes.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the broader restructuring, which aims to save $1.8 billion annually by eliminating 10,000 positions across health agencies.
Advocates warn that repeated disruptions to the program under the Trump administration undermine its ability to provide critical care to those affected by the 9/11 attacks.