Stewart blasts Congress for failing to pass Zadroga bill

Congress has been overlooking the Zadroga bill, which would provide health-related for survivors and 1st responders of the Sept 11 attacks. Jon Stewart of Comedy Central has not exactly been thrilled by the conduct of Congress concerning the bill. Congress is known for overlooking bills that do not win as much brownie factors like tax cut bills.

Zadroga bill lost in the shuffle in Congress

A bill nicknamed the Zadroga Bill that would provide aid to people who were rescue workers in the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 has been sitting on the Congressional backburner. $7 billion would be funded to the 9/11 rescue workers that need health care because of being at ground zero when the attacks occurred while also being named the Zadroga Bill after a New York police detective James Zadroga who may have died because of being at the World Trade Center during the attacks and getting respiratory problems. Republicans stalled the bill on the Senate floor after the House passed it, reports CNN.

Daily Show host shines the spotlight

One of the champions in the media of the bill has been comic and host of “The Daily Show” Jon Stewart, according to ABC. Stewart has been blasting Republicans for standing in the way of the bill. The bill is just something that Republicans can’t bring themselves to spend money on. It would just cost too much to support all the 9/11 responders and survivors. Stewart devoted his last episode of the year to the bill, and lashed out at Republicans by saying that “the party that turned 9/11 into a catchphrase” had a “convenient pre-9/11 mentality when it comes to this bill.”

The time is up

There are few days in which to get the bill passed. Most members of Congress are itching to head home for the holidays, and Republicans in both houses are loathe to pass any more spending bills, regardless of merit. A tax bill was passed in Congress though which Stewart explained was great for any “firefighters that make $200,000 a year.”

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/09/senate.9.11.responders/

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Politics/jon-stewart-rants-republican-filibuster-911-responder-bill/story?id=12422872&page=1