World Trade Center Health Program leader John Howard’s firing reversed after uproar, Rep. Andrew Garbarino says

The Trump administration, following an uproar, has reversed the firing of the doctor in charge of a health program for 9/11 survivors, according to local members of Congress.

The doctor, John Howard, is director of the World Trade Center Health Program. He was one of an estimated 10,000 employees of the Department of Health and Human Services whose jobs were eliminated by the Trump administration as he seeks to slash the size of the federal workforce and reach of the government.

On Saturday, in a news release citing the intervention of members of Congress, Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino (R-Bayport) announced the reversal of Howard’s firing.

The White House did not immediately return an email seeking comment Saturday.

The World Trade Center Health Program provides services for about 137,000 sickened 9/11 first responders and other survivors across the nation. 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health staff who worked with the program were also let go. 

Asked whether any of the fired staff who worked with the program would be rehired, Garbarino spokeswoman Kristen Cianci did not say yes or no. In a statement attributed to the congressman, Garbarino said, “It’s a work in progress, but I remain in touch with the White House and HHS as we work to resolve any remaining issues impacting the program. We needed to have the Administrator in place before we could move forward with anything else.”

Benjamin Chevat, executive director of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act, said in a statement that the staff must be rehired too.

“While their announcement is good news and we are grateful for it, this is only the first step,” he said in an email.

The Trump administration had previously fired 11 probationary WTC Health Program staff members, but they were re-hired following protests from Congressional lawmakers, Newsday has reported.

With Laura Figueroa Hernandez