The Trump administration plans to terminate federal workers responsible for addressing work-related illnesses, including “black lung” disease in coal miners, as indicated in an internal memo obtained by NBC News. These cuts threaten vital programs for monitoring health issues linked to toxic exposures, such as those faced by 9/11 first responders. Concerns grew after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made significant reductions to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which has operated for over 55 years. This action is part of a broader initiative to downsize the federal workforce by about 20,000 employees.
NIOSH director John Howard confirmed the issuance of numerous reduction in force notices, although some staff were reinstated temporarily to fulfill ongoing obligations. Despite bipartisan opposition, Howard himself received a termination notice but was brought back due to Congressional pressure. While some NIOSH programs will transition to a newly established entity known as the Administration for a Healthy America, the specifics of this shift remain uncertain.
One key program facing cuts is the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, which provides free X-rays to identify lung damage caused by coal dust. An HHS official stated that critical NIOSH programs would continue under the new agency but did not address related staffing reductions. This situation has prompted legal action from a coal miner in West Virginia, who claims that the staff cuts violate the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act. With miners facing heightened risks of black lung disease, program supporters stress the importance of continued monitoring and services, as hundreds of thousands of X-rays remain unread amid staffing shortages.
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