CONGRESS HAS GONE INTO RECESS WITHOUT VOTING ON
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXTEND HEALTH CARE FOR 9/11 FIRST
RESPONDERS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP TO THE
SCENE OF THAT TRAGIC EVENT AND HELPED RESCUE PEOPLE.
HELPS
WITH THE CLEANUP EFFORTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THEM WERE
NOT GIVEN THE SAFETY PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO PREVENT RESPIRATORY
ILLNESSES, AND A LOT OF THEM DID
DEVELOP CANCER AS A RESULT FROM BEING FIRST RESPONDERS.
IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF AMERICAN
POLITICIANS TO ENSURE THAT THESE FIRST RESPONDERS GET THE HEALTH
CARE THAT THEY NEED, AND UNFORTUNATELY CONGRESS HAS
DECIDED TO TAKE RECESS WITHOUT ADDRESSING THIS.
I SHOULD NOTE
THAT THE HEALTHCARE PLAN FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS IS FUNDED WELL
INTO 2016; HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATION WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE
THIS HEALTHCARE FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS PERMANENT, AND AGAIN,
THEY DID NOT VOTE ON THAT.
WHILE THEY ARE WASTING TIME
INVESTIGATING PLANNED PARENTHOOD, UNFORTUNATELY THEY
ARE NOT WORKING ON REAL ISSUES THAT HELP REAL AMERICANS
WHO PUT THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE.
WAS INTERESTING IS THAT IT RAN OUT AT MIDNIGHT ON
WEDNESDAY, BUT IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE
MADE PERMANENT BEFORE THEY RUN
OUT OF MONEY SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.
IT ALREADY EXPIRED, BUT THERE IS STILL FUNDING FOR FIRST
RESPONDERS.
THEY WILL STILL GET THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEED IíM TOLD, WELL
INTO 2016, BUT IF ANYTHING THIS IS A HUGE SYMBOL OF HOW CALLOUS
OUR POLITICIANS ARE, AND HOW THEY CONTINUALLY EXPLOIT THE
TRAGEDY THAT WAS 9/11 TO GAIN POLITICAL MOMENTUM, WHILE IN
REALITY THEY DON'T CARE AT ALL.
IF THEY GENUINELY CARED, THIS
WOULD BE A PRIORITY.
IF I WAS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, THIS WOULD
BE MY PRIORITY.
THIS IS OF COURSE THE BILL THAT JON STEWART CHAMPIONED FOR
SO LONG.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO
FUND HEALTHCARE IN PERPETUITY FOR THESE PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY
CONGRESS IS GOING TO DO IT, SO THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONE OF THE
RESPONSES HAS BEEN, THREE
REPRESENTATIVES, A COUPLE OF DEMOCRATS AND A REPUBLICAN, WE
NEVER INTENDED FOR THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION TO EXPIRE
SO QUICKLY.
ONCE AGAIN WASHINGTON POLITICS GOT IN THE
WAY.
THAT'S WHAT CAROL MALONEY HAD TO SAY.
BUT PETER KING SAID, OR
THEY ALL WROTE, THE FAILURE TO MEET THE DEADLINE CAN SEND A
SIGNAL THAT NEVER FORGET 9/11 IS JUST A SLOGAN FOR A BUMPER
STICKER.
WE ARE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE OF 9/11, WE ARE DOING IT
BECAUSE THEY CAME TO HELP AT A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AND THEY GOT
SICK, AND IT IS THE DUTY OF A CIVILIZED NATION TO TAKE CARE OF
THEIR FIRST RESPONDERS AS A RESULT OF THIS.
IT IS SO
OBVIOUS.
IT IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY, BUT STILL THEY ARE
GOING TO BE USING 9/11 TO GET STUFF DONE.
NONETHELESS, IT
ALWAYS MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT IS SUCH AN OBVIOUS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, THE FACT THAT
THERE NEEDS TO BE ANY RALLY TO CONGRESS IS GALLING.
IF YOU ARE GENUINELY PATRIOTIC, YOU WOULD WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN IN THIS COUNTRY HAS
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, RIGHT?
BUT I THINK THERE IS AN EXTRA
LAYER OF DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR.
WHEN YOU NEGLECT THE PEOPLE WHO
PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, TO
RESCUE PEOPLE WHO WERE VICTIMS OF 9/11, TO HELP WITH THE
CLEANUP EFFORT.
AND ALSO THAT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN THE PROPER
GEAR TO PREVENT SOME OF THE ILLNESSES THAT THEY ARE FACING
NOW.
THEY HAVE SERIOUS RESPIRATORY ISSUES, AND MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS ARE AGAIN NEGLECTING THEIR NEEDS, AND USING 9/11 TO
POLITICIZE WHAT AGENDA THEY
HAVE.
IT DISGUSTS ME.