Comedian Jon Stewart on Monday offered a rare compliment to the Trump administration for how it has handled a fund for 9/11 victims but blasted Congress for playing political games with the program.
Stewart, who has been a vocal advocate for the program that provides help to 9/11 victims killed or injured by the terrorist attack, plus their families, offered the qualified praise as part of a press conference on Capitol Hill marking the introduction of a bill that would restore recent cuts and make the fund permanent.
“Are the cameras on? Is everybody on me? The Trump Justice Department is doing an excellent job administrating this program. The claims are going through faster, and the awards are coming through,” Stewart said of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. “The Trump Justice Department, I don’t know about anything else, I’m not going to comment on anything else, but that’s why we’re in the problem that we’re in is the program works exactly like it’s supposed to, so now it’s Congress’ job to fund it properly and let these people live in peace.”
His push to boost the fund comes ahead of its 2020 expiration date and after the special master appointed to oversee it this month announced it would roll back some payments up to 70 percent due to a budget shortfall.
“There’s no reason to drag these people down here,” Stewart said of 9/11 victims and loved ones who traveled down to Washington, D.C., to join him on the lobbying trip. “It’s bullshit. You know it and I know it, so let’s stop the nonsense.”
The Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act was introduced in the House on Monday by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Peter King, R-N.Y. Its Senate companion was brought forward by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., but needs strong Republican support to clear the chamber.
Gillibrand on Monday called for a vote on the legislation without it being combined with another bill or having an amendment attached that could threaten its passage. Schumer said he was yet to speak to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., or the White House about the measure.
[Opinion: Jon Stewart is absolutely right about the divide between Trump and the media]
