Trump budget threatens 9/11 treatment

(R-L.I.), says

“This proposal directly contradicts the legislation Congress passed just three years ago to renew (the WTC Health Program) for 75 years within NIOSH. This will unnecessarily put at risk the health of those who have been made ill by 9/11, many of whom are still suffering, and in too many cases still dying, from their injuries 17 years later,” the New York House members said.

The letter also noted that NIOSH was originally selected as the agency to house the WTC Health Program because it was dedicated to occupational health — the exact expertise needed to set up a wide-ranging and national medical response team for a series of devastating illnesses that were just starting to and Pete King emerge among first responders and survivors.

Howard, appointed to NIOSH by President George W. Bush in 2002, has worked to put the agency at the forefront of responding to the injuries caused by the toxins at Ground Zero, the letter said.

“If you had spoken to us, or anyone with experience in the 9/11 health community, you would have understood that the World Trade Center Health Program is fully integrated within NIOSH and there are many shared staff whose expertise would be lost if the (program) is pulled,” the representatives said. “We also would have explained the amount of progress NIOSH has made in service delivery, all of which would be lost if (the WTC Health Program) were removed from the institute,” it continued. Maloney (photo inset), Nadler and King want Mulvaney to abandon the plan — and they are backed by first responder advocate John Feal. In New York alone, there are some 17,000 firefighters and EMS members who are monitored by the FDNY for the WTC Health Program, an additional 15,000 cared for through a Survivor Program, and a Mount Sinai general responder program.

A national program covers another 15,000 registrants, which includes people who were at the 9/11 sites but didn’t live in the affected states or have since moved away.

“This administration seems to only be able to tear things down, but here they are putting injured 9/11 responders’ health at risk, too many who have cancer and have suffered enough.” said Feal.

“They need to withdraw this stupid idea and leave NIOSH alone. This is not making America great, only making 9/11 responders sicker,” added Feal, who urged WTC program members to call Mulvaney to ask him to change his mind.