Obama's 9/11 gift: Does the right thing and restores WTC health czar

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/...1_problem.html

Friday, September 4th 2009, 4:00 AM

President Obama yesterday performed a valuable service for the thousands of sickened 9/11 rescue and recovery workers. He reappointed the indomitable Dr. John Howard as World Trade Center health coordinator.

Howard was head of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health when President George Bush tapped him to lead government efforts to track what were then unexplained illnesses afflicting those who'd been exposed to toxic dust downtown.

Howard did his job, thoroughly and aggressively. After months of investigation, he became the first federal official to acknowledge that the debilitating ailments were both real and directly attributable to 9/11 service.

For his trouble, Howard was roundly punished in the administration. His budget was slashed, his authority was undercut and finally he was ignominiously fired from NIOSH over the Fourth of July weekend last year.

All because he had the courage to speak the truth.

Now, Obama has reinstated Howard at NIOSH - and at the forefront of treating and monitoring World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers all over the country.

This was a terrific step by a President who is being prodded by 9/11 widows and survivors to lead America toward meeting its full obligations to the sick through health care funding and a victims compensation fund.

There's much more to do, but Obama has given the ill a champion in John Howard.