The office of Congressman Tom Suozzi has reported that the Trump administration is cutting staff at the agency responsible for running the World Trade Center Health Program.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which oversees the program, is expected to lose about two-thirds of its workforce, including its director, Dr.
John Howard.
The move has raised concerns about how the program will continue to function, as it relies heavily on NIOSH staff for medical evaluations, application processing, and operational support.
According to the office of Congressman Tom Suozzi, the World Trade Center Health Program provides services to over 127,000 people affected by the 9/11 attacks.
More than 81,000 of them have certified illnesses related to their exposure.
Although no employees of the World Trade Center Health Program have been directly laid off, advocates have warned that the dismissals at NIOSH will affect essential services.
NIOSH doctors and other personnel perform key functions for the program, including application reviews, contract management, and human resources.
The removal of Dr. Howard as NIOSH director has also drawn criticism, given his role as administrator of the WTC Health Program.
Benjamin Chevat, executive director of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act, said: “These cuts to NIOSH will be devastating to the World Trade Center Health Program and must be stopped.
“The first step must be restoring Dr. Howard as NIOSH Director immediately.”
John Feal, a 9/11 survivor advocate, criticized the staffing cuts.
Feal helped campaign for the James Zadroga Act, which established the health program.
He said: “The most reckless, careless, unconscionable, disgusting, and vile act against those in the 9/11 community that has been committed since Sept. 11, 2001.”
He added: “You have damaged thousands of people in an instant with your actions today, you have caused irreparable PTSD with your actions today and you have torn thousands of families apart with your actions today.”
Earlier in 2025, the Trump administration reversed an earlier decision to cut parts of the program after facing criticism.
Sixteen jobs and two research grants were restored at the time.
Despite that decision, new cuts have now been implemented.
Advocates claim these decisions reflect continued threats to the program’s long-term stability.
Chevat said: “After cutting this program’s staff directly a few weeks ago and having to rescind those cuts under pressure we would have thought that the Trump Administration or the new HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr.
would have learned their lesson and would have thought before cutting, but that, sadly, was not the case.”
The office of Congressman Tom Suozzi has reported that the Trump administration is implementing staff reductions at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which administers the World Trade Center Health Program.
Approximately two-thirds of NIOSH’s staff, including Director Dr. John Howard, are being laid off.
While no direct layoffs are being made to the WTC Health Program staff, its operations depend on NIOSH doctors and administrative personnel.
Advocates, including Benjamin Chevat and John Feal, have condemned the cuts and warned they will disrupt services for tens of thousands of 9/11 responders and survivors.
Earlier reductions were reversed in February 2025, but further cuts have now proceeded.
The WTC Health Program currently serves over 127,000 enrollees, more than 81,000 of whom have certified 9/11-related illnesses.
The impact of the layoffs on essential operations such as medical evaluations, communications, and grant management remains unresolved.
