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Jon Stewart points out lack of lawmakers in Congress 9/11 health care bill meeting

Posted at 12:22 PM, Jun 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-11 14:14:08-04

Comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart was on Capitol Hill today to advocate for better health care coverage for 9/11 responders, and in his message, he called the lack of lawmakers on Capitol Hill for the meeting an embarrassment to the country.

"Sick and dying, they brought themselves down here to speak — to no one," Stewart said of how few Congress members were present.

"They are here to continue fight for what's right," Stewart said ahead of talking about responders who have cancer and were present. He called the lack of lawmaker presence "utterly unacceptable."

His bigger message: Give the first responders full coverage care and stop how often them have to come to Capitol Hill to ask for it. He was joined by other advocates and politicians seeking the passage of a bill to provide more coverage.

Stewart called for bi-partisan support.

"This is your opportunity to write a final chapter for these men and women who fought for 18 years — they fought when nobody believed they were sick, they fought when nobody believed their sickness was caused by 9/11, they fought when nobody thought their health care was worth paying for, they fought every step of the way. And it is an embarrassment to us and our country," Stewart said.