Reports on the Rally/Campaign to Rehire John Howard, WTC Health Czar

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nywtc246047551feb24,0,7221698.story
Pols, advocates urge rehiring of WTC health czar
The Associated Press
February 24, 2009
New York lawmakers and Sept. 11 health advocates urged President Barack Obama yesterday to rehire a World Trade Center health czar who was let go last year by the Bush administration.

John Howard's six-year term as director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health expired last July and he was not asked to stay on. Since 2006 he was the government's point person for post-9/11 illness. He often found himself at odds with the Bush administration in his advocacy for a federal program to monitor and treat thousands who said they were sickened by exposure to toxic dust.

Sept. 11 health advocates had said his departure could jeopardize future funding.

"The Bush administration made a good decision in appointing Dr. Howard and a typically bad move in letting him go," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) said.

The White House didn't immediately comment.

An e-mail to Howard, who took another job at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wasn't immediately returned yesterday.

The government last year halted its plan for a national monitoring program, saying it was too costly.

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/politics/94396/lawmakers-push-to-reappoint-sept--11th-health-coordinator/Default.aspx
Updated 02/23/2009 03:19 PM
Lawmakers Push To Reappoint Sept. 11th Health Coordinator
By: NY1 News

Two local lawmakers are calling on President Barack Obama to re-appoint a former Bush administration official to lead health care efforts for September 11th first responders.
Congressman Jerry Nadler and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney held a rally today near the World Trade Center site.

They want the president to re-appoint Doctor John Howard to his role overseeing September 11th health programs.

Howard was appointed to lead the federal government's health care initiative for World Trade Center first responders in 2006, but was not retained last year when his term as director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health expired.

Howard has been praised for his efforts to increase screening of potential victims and he was known to differ with some Bush officials over the size and scope of monitoring and treatment.

When he left his post, his specialized role dealing with September 11th issues was not transferred to anyone else.