Senator Kim, Senate Colleagues Call Out RFK Jr. for Dismantling of Critical Health Program for 9/11 First Responders and Survivors

Citing reports of delays in the core work of the World Trade Center Health Program, the Senators write: “Dismantling the work of WTCHP puts heroic 9/11 responders’ lives at risk.”
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Today,Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.)led a group of Democratic Senators, who represent states directly impacted during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding an immediate explanation of delays in certifying covered health conditions, staff reductions, and the overall failure to administer mandated functions of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) that provides care to first responders who heroically responded to the 9/11 attacks.
The letter was signed by Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Tim Kaine (D-VA).
“We write today to express our dismay at recent news reports indicating that the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP)…has halted the process mandated under the Zadroga statute to consider whether to add new conditions to the list covered by the program…This delay in recognizing new health conditions tied to exposures received at Ground Zero, at Shanksville, and at the Pentagon harms the ability of the first responders who heroically responded to 9/11 to get the health care they need and are entitled to under the WTCHP,”wrote the Senators.
Text of Full Letter (PDF)
The WTCHP provides medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 first responders and survivors of the deadly terrorist attacks. It is administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
In the letter, the Senators cite concerns about delays in the core work of the program coupled with recent indiscriminate firings of WTCHP staff, including the termination of Dr. John Howard, the NIOSH Director and WTCHP Administrator.They continued:“After several Members of Congress pressed for the reinstatement of WTCHP staff necessary for the program’s functioning, including Dr. Howard, we understood the issue to be resolved, based on your personal commitment to us. Thus, we are extremely concerned by new reports that there have been no further action on petitions to the program to add health conditions under the WTCHP.”
Earlier this year,a bipartisan outcryforced the Trump administration to rehire federal workers who help run the critical health program after they were fired during the disastrous DOGE cuts. In recent weeks, Secretary Kennedy has continued the assault on operations at HHS, including firing the Director of the CDC just weeks after starting in the role.
The Senators are seeking answers and a congressional briefing by October 10, 2025 on the failure to recognize new health conditions tied to exposures as well as an explanation of how the program is fulfilling its core mission, including functions like enrolling newly-eligible members, conducting surveillance and research to support the addition of new health conditions, and conducting public communication around this work.

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