U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand welcomed Dr. John Howard's reappointment to lead the federal agencies responsible for workplace safety research and health care for people affected by the Sept. 11 attacks.
Howard was reappointed as director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, according to a statement from Gillibrand's office.
The New York Democrat said Howard's experience would help maintain specialized care for first responders and survivors coping with long-term illnesses linked to toxic exposure at Ground Zero.
“Particularly as we approach 25 years since September 11, we must rely on experienced leadership to ensure our heroes get the specialized care they need to cope with the long-term health effects of toxic exposure,” Gillibrand said.
Lawmakers sought another six-year term
Gillibrand led a bipartisan, bicameral letter in July asking U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reappoint Howard to another six-year term in both roles.
The lawmakers cited Howard's leadership of the World Trade Center Health Program and the need for continuity as the program provides medical care to responders and survivors. Gillibrand said the reappointment helps fulfill the federal government's commitment to people still facing health effects from their work or presence at the disaster site.
Funding and coverage remain priorities
Congress recently secured lifetime funding for the World Trade Center Health Program, according to Gillibrand's office. Full, permanent funding was signed into law in February 2026 after a bipartisan effort to address the program's funding shortfall.
Gillibrand has also pressed the Department of Health and Human Services to expand the cancer screenings covered by the program for Sept. 11 responders and survivors.
The senator said she would continue advocating for access to care as Howard begins another term overseeing the program.
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