New York – In a scathing rebuke of the Trump administration, New York Attorney General Letitia James yesterday lashed out against the latest cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically targeting the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
“When our country was attacked, thousands of New Yorkers put their lives on the line to save others,” James stated. “They deserve the care that we’ve fought for over these last 24 years. The Trump administration’s decision to continuously jeopardize the WTCHP is a cruel betrayal of our heroes. These cuts must be reversed, and the program must be protected.”
Created in 2011, the WTCHP has been instrumental in providing medical treatment for over 132,000 individuals impacted by the September 11 attacks. However, the Trump administration’s February buyout offers for federal employees and mass firings of probationary civil service staff hit the program hard, leading to significant staffing cuts.
While these initial cuts were partially reversed following public outcry, the recent decision to cut over 10,000 staff members from HHS once again threatens the continuation of WTCHP services. Among those fired was Dr. John Howard, the WTCHP administrator, and nearly all staff at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which supports the program.
“These heroes deserve better,” James concluded. “We will not stand by as their health care is threatened.”
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: NY AG
- Category: Public Corruption|Healthcare Fraud
- Source: Official Source ↗
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