Jon Stewart Lobbies Congress for 9/11 First Responders

Comedian Jon Stewart turned serious this week when he joined a group of almost 200 police, fire and rescue workers in Washington D.C., lobbying Congress to renew the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act that will expire soon. The Health and Compensation Act provides benefits to first responders and residents sickened by the toxic air and smoldering debris following the historic terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City 14 years ago. Of particular long-term concern is a belief by medical professionals that the incidence of cancers, such as malignant pleural mesothelioma caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers, will skyrocket in the future. Stewart, former host of "The Daily Show," has been a longtime, vocal supporter of first responders and their future health. He played an active role in lobbying when Congress originally passed the Zadroga Act in 2010. Stewart's appearance Wednesday on Capitol Hill brought considerable attention to the issue and opened doors that might otherwise have been closed. "Jon's presence made all the difference in the world for us this week," John Feal, president of the FealGood Foundation, a prominent first-responders advocacy group, told Asbestos.com. "To thank him, I said I would mow his lawn for the next 20 years. But this wasn't his first rodeo. He's been with us for a long time." Jon Stewart Has Always Supported First Responders Feal introduced Stewart on Wednesday at a rally of supporters outside the Capitol. Feal wa...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Celebrities Source Type: news