Congressman Eliot L. Engel, an original cosponsor of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, joined Members of Congress from the Tri-State Area to call on the Trump Administration to halt its efforts to separate the World Trade Center Health Program from the National Institute of Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The World Trade Center Health Program ensures that Americans suffering from debilitating conditions as a result of exposure to toxins from the 9/11 terrorist attacks do not bear any of the financial costs related to those conditions. The Program has afforded medical care to more than 83,000 9/11 survivors and first responders.
In the letter, the Members criticize the Administration for failing to consult with stakeholders, or to recognize the expertise NIOSH staff brings to the Program.
The Members write, “None of the Office of Management and Budget documents describe how the WTC Health Program would be untangled from NIOSH, nor do they address how this change would be achieved without negatively impacting the health of the 9/11 responders and survivors who rely on the WTC Health Program.”
“We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for the heroes of 9/11,” Engel said. “We fought an obstructionist Congress for years to ensure survivors and first responders are afforded the care and compensation they deserve, and we must continue fighting to make sure the World Trade Center Health Program is working as we promised it would.”
The full text of the letter is available here.
