Yesterday, the New York Daily News reported that the Trump administration has been secretly withholding money from the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program:
The Trump administration has secretly siphoned nearly $4 million away from a program that tracks and treats FDNY firefighters and medics suffering from 9/11 related illnesses, the Daily News has learned.
The Treasury Department mysteriously started withholding parts of payments — nearly four years ago — meant to cover medical services for firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics treated by the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, documents obtained by The News reveal.
The payments were authorized and made by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which oversees the program. But instead of sending the funds to the city, the Treasury started keeping some of the money.
Has President Trump or any Administration officials discussed or explained why the money was withheld and where it has gone?
The article mentions as a possible explanation a feud between the City and the Feds, but with no other details it doesn't make any sense. I'm hoping there's more explaination out there.
After years of complaining, [Dr. David] Prezant [the FDNY’s Chief Medical Officer] did get a partial answer when Long Island Republican Rep. Pete King put his political weight behind the inquiry. That answer was that some other agency in the city has been in an unrelated feud with the feds over Medicare bills.
For some reason, Treasury decided to stiff the FDNY. Neither the Treasury Department nor the White House answered requests for comment.