Jon Stewart on Wednesday evening tore into Republican Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee for effectively blocking an extension of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund.
Earlier Wednesday, the lawmakers slowed down the process of passing the bipartisan bill that would provide relief for first-responders, their families and others sickened at Ground Zero.
“It’s absolutely outrageous, and you’ll pardon me if I’m not impressed in any way by Rand Paul’s fiscal responsibility virtue signaling,” the ex-“The Daily Show” host said on Fox News’ “Special Report.”
As The Post exclusively reported, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah placed a procedural hold on the bill, effectively blocking it from going up for a vote.
Shortly after that, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) requested a unanimous consent agreement on the Senate floor, only to have the motion swatted down by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
“Rand Paul presented tissue paper avoidance of the $1.5 trillion tax cut that added hundreds of billions of dollars to our deficit and now he stands up at the last minute, after 15 years of blood, sweat, and tears from the 9/11 community, to say that it’s all over now and we’re going to balance the budget on the backs of the 9/11 first responder community,” Stewart charged.
The reauthorization bill will eventually pass the Senate despite the roadblock caused by Paul and Lee, Stewart said.
After the move, a spokesperson for Paul said the senator is “not blocking anything,” — just trying to figure out how to pay for the extension. A spokesperson for Lee said the senator wants a last-second look at the legislation over concerns of fiscal misuse.
Since leaving his TV-show, Stewart has advocated for 9/11 first responders. He delivered blistering testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee last month, blasting members for not showing up to a hearing on reauthorizing the fund.
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