Schumer, Gillibrand urge Kennedy to reverse cuts to World Trade Center Health Program

U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse recent staff cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), which provides essential health services to 9/11 first responders and survivors. Approximately 20% of the WTCHP staff was terminated following broader cuts within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a decision the senators describe as 'nonsensical and dangerous.' They emphasize that these cuts jeopardize the care of over 132,000 individuals affected by the 9/11 attacks, leading to potential delays in critical treatments for respiratory illnesses and cancers. In their letter, the senators remind Kennedy of his prior commitment to support the health program and demand a detailed briefing on how these staffing reductions will impact care. Both Schumer and Gillibrand characterize the cuts as a betrayal of the heroes who risked their lives on 9/11, asserting that funding for their healthcare is not wasteful but a moral obligation. They insist that reversing these changes is vital to uphold the promise of care for those who served during the nation’s darkest hours.