Republican Senators Killed Health Care for 9/11 First Responders at Behest of GOP Lobbying Group That Advocates Offshoring American Jobs
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
9/11 First Responders React to the Senate Filibuster | ||||
|
[Senate Republicans’] brazen obstruction … took some victims last week when they used another filibuster to block the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. Named after a New York City policeman who died from health complications, this legislation that provides health care to 9/11 first responders and emergency workers who suffered illnesses from working at Ground Zero.
Not one Republican senator came to the floor to explain why the desperately needed, fully paid-for compensation didn’t deserve to pass. When Fox News’ Don Imus pressed Sen. John Thune (R-SD) for an explanation, Thune said the tax cuts are a bigger priority because “there is a deadline.” And when first responders came to the Senate to advocate for the bill yesterday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) actually called the Capitol police on them to prevent a sit-in.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., found a new depth for his loathsomeness when he trivialized the bill: