The Trump administration reportedly withheld millions of dollars in funding designated to help 9/11 first responders, prompting outrage from New York politicians.
The Treasury Department began pocketing the funding, nearly $4 million in total, which was meant to cover medical expenses, almost four years ago, according to a New York Daily News report published a day before the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health oversees the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, which is meant to cover medical services for firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics suffering from illnesses related to 9/11.
“This was just disappearing,” the program’s director, Dr. David Prezant, said. “This is the most amazing thing. This was disappearing — without any notification.”
He claimed that the program was docked about $500,000 in 2016 and 2017 and approximately $630,000 in each of the following two years. Prezant said the amount taken from the funds in 2020 nearly tripled up to $1.44 million.
“Here we have sick World Trade Center-exposed firefighters and EMS workers, at a time when the city is having difficult financial circumstances due to COVID-19, and we’re not getting the money we need to be able to treat these heroes,” said Prezant, the FDNY’s chief medical officer.
Prezant sought answers from NIOSH and its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, but was unable to get an answer until retiring GOP Rep. Peter King got involved.
“I don’t even care what the details of this thing is. That fund has to be fully compensated, fully reimbursed. I mean, this is absurd,” he said. “If anyone were true American heroes, it was the cops and firemen on 9/11, especially the firemen, and for even $1 to be being held back is absolutely indefensible.”
King also said he plans on bringing the issue up to Vice President Mike Pence when they see each other during the 9/11 anniversary ceremony.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, also expressed his displeasure.
“The Trump Treasury Department siphoning [c]ongressionally appropriated funds meant to pay for 9/11 workers’ healthcare is an outrageous finger in the eye to the firefighters, cops and other first responders who risked their lives for us,” Schumer said. “This needs to stop forthwith, and payments to the workers’ health program must be made whole — and now.”
