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Congress Passes Bill for 9/11 First Responders

Republicans drop opposition in the Senate

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 22, 2010 2:05 PM CST | Updated Dec 22, 2010 5:04 PM CST

(Newser) – The clout of Jon Stewart: Congress today approved the bill to provide health care for 9/11 first responders and sent it to President Obama for his signature. The House passed the measure late this afternoon (206-60) after the Senate did so earlier in the day, reports AP. The big breakthrough came when Senate Democrats—led by New York's Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand—agreed to reduce the bill's cost from $6.2 billion to $4.2 billion. A quick voice vote followed, with no objections.

"We've come to an agreement that costs less, doesn't allow double-dipping, doesn't allow exorbitant lawyer fees, and we've worked it out and so we're going to take care of the folks," the GOP's Tom Coburn, who had threatened to stonewall the original bill, tells ABC. "But we're going to do it in a way that doesn't punish the people that are going to pay the bill."

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010, as the Senate continued in session.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010, as the Senate continued in session.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Debt Commission member Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., right, speaks during a meeting of the commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010.
Debt Commission member Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., right, speaks during a meeting of the commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., left, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.,  and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., speak to the media Tuesday.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., left, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., speak to the media Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 32 comments
carson
Dec 24, 2010 7:37 PM CST
6 billion dollars divided by 300 million americans equals 20 bucks a piece for every man woman and child in the entire country to pay for this bill...of course these people deserve to be cared for...but it seems like maybe we should have just built a hospital and gave em a group rate...dont tell me that some loophole is going to pay for it...everyone will pay in service denied in other areas... leukemia and lymphoma strike 130,000 americans a year...thats like 3 world trade centers every year
HappyHabenero
Dec 23, 2010 2:08 AM CST
Those heroes need to be helped...shame it took so much capital hill bickering and politicking on both sides and YEARS to get it done
Cannibal_Karl
Dec 22, 2010 10:14 PM CST
I think this is an interesting case study of how influential media pundits can actually be. Granted that this should have been a no brainer to begin with, this bill was essentially dead until Stewart got motivated enough to try to effect its outcome. I'm not sure whether I like the idea of a tv commentator having this much clout all the time, but I certainly have to give Jon Stewart props for a job well done.

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