In a rare sign of pushback against President Trump, a coalition of congressional Republicans from the New York area rebuked the president for cuts to a federal program that administers aid to emergency workers and others suffering from toxins related to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
In a letter to Mr. Trump, seven Republicans urged Mr. Trump “as a native New Yorker who lived in New York City as it recovered from the 9/11 terrorist attacks” to reverse the cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program and rehire staff members who were fired several days ago.
They echoed the immediate outcry from Democratic lawmakers and advocates when the cuts were made beginning late last week, as part of Elon Musk’s so-called department of government efficiency, or DOGE, which is cutting spending and eliminating jobs across a wide swath of federal agencies. On Monday, New York’s Democratic senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, issued a letter demanding the cuts be restored.
The initial reaction from Republicans was more muted, but by Wednesday, as it became clearer that the blowback to the firings was widespread, the Republican resistance grew more vocal, especially from districts in and around New York City, where the memory of 9/11 still resonates powerfully.
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“This staff reduction will only make it more difficult for the program to supervise its contracts and to care for its members who are comprised of the brave men and women who ran towards danger and helped in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks,” the members of Congress wrote in the letter.
It was largely written by Representative Andrew R. Garbarino, a Republican from Long Island, and co-signed by five other members from New York and Representative Chris Smith from New Jersey. The New York co-signers were Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Claudia Tenney, Nicole Malliotakis and Nick Langworthy, all supporters of Mr. Trump.
The World Trade Center Health Program’s 90-member staff was reduced by about 20 percent, as 16 probationary staff members who oversee and administer the program were fired and others took buyouts, according to congressional representatives, terminated employees and advocates for the program.
The program is overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under the Department of Health and Human Services, which was recently taken over by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Mr. Trump named as secretary.
In a letter to Mr. Trump, seven Republicans urged Mr. Trump “as a native New Yorker who lived in New York City as it recovered from the 9/11 terrorist attacks” to reverse the cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program and rehire staff members who were fired several days ago.
They echoed the immediate outcry from Democratic lawmakers and advocates when the cuts were made beginning late last week, as part of Elon Musk’s so-called department of government efficiency, or DOGE, which is cutting spending and eliminating jobs across a wide swath of federal agencies. On Monday, New York’s Democratic senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, issued a letter demanding the cuts be restored.
The initial reaction from Republicans was more muted, but by Wednesday, as it became clearer that the blowback to the firings was widespread, the Republican resistance grew more vocal, especially from districts in and around New York City, where the memory of 9/11 still resonates powerfully.
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“This staff reduction will only make it more difficult for the program to supervise its contracts and to care for its members who are comprised of the brave men and women who ran towards danger and helped in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks,” the members of Congress wrote in the letter.
It was largely written by Representative Andrew R. Garbarino, a Republican from Long Island, and co-signed by five other members from New York and Representative Chris Smith from New Jersey. The New York co-signers were Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Claudia Tenney, Nicole Malliotakis and Nick Langworthy, all supporters of Mr. Trump.
The World Trade Center Health Program’s 90-member staff was reduced by about 20 percent, as 16 probationary staff members who oversee and administer the program were fired and others took buyouts, according to congressional representatives, terminated employees and advocates for the program.
The program is overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under the Department of Health and Human Services, which was recently taken over by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Mr. Trump named as secretary.
