GOP lawmakers face criticism for opposing Sept. 11 responders bill

Shep Smith to Tom Coburn: I cant believe youre blocking this 9/11 health care bill
Via Mediaite, I’m paraphrasing — but only a little. Shep’s emphatically in scold mode here, not only devoting a chunk of airtime to sympathetic video of 9/11 responders complaining about the delay but taking care to put Coburn’s photo onscreen at the end of the clip as a sort of lame shame ritual. Cloture on the bill failed last week, but Schumer and Gillibrand said over the weekend that they expect tomorrow’s second attempt to succeed. Quick passage assured, then...

Bloomberg urges passage of 9/11 health bill
New York (CNN) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined lawmakers, police and fire officials on Monday in urging U.S. Senate passage of a Health Care bill benefiting September 11 Rescue Workers. "The time for excuses is over," Bloomberg said. "The Senate has a full week ahead of it and should not adjourn until it passes this bill." Bloomberg said the measure is paid for by "other revenue generators," referencing a procurement fee on some foreign countries that tra...

Shepard Smith attacks Tom Coburn for blocking 9/11 first responders bill
For the second day in a row now, Fox News' Shepard Smith used his 3 p.m. show to publicly shame specific Republicans for blocking passage of the bill that would fund healthcare for ailing 9/11 First Responders. Yesterday, Shep called out a dozen Senators who refused to come on his show and explain themselves. Today, Shep singled out Senator Tom Coburn, a conservative's conservative, who is at this point the last Republican still willing to publicly block the bill from coming to the floor. Repub...

Key test vote in Senate for 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON—The Senate is set for a key test vote on a bill to aid people who became sick after being exposed to Toxins at the World Trade Center ruins following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. New York Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said they were confident they had the 60 votes needed to prevail on the vote expected Wednesday after the Senate completes its work on an Arms Control treaty with Russia. But they worry that Republicans who oppose the measure could try to s...

Bloomberg urges passage of 9/11 health bill
New York (CNN) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined lawmakers, police and fire officials on Monday in urging U.S. Senate passage of a Health Care bill benefiting September 11 Rescue Workers. "The time for excuses is over," Bloomberg said. "The Senate has a full week ahead of it and should not adjourn until it passes this bill." Bloomberg said the measure is paid for by "other revenue generators," referencing a procurement fee on some foreign countries that tra...

1st Responders Press Senate Over 9/11 Health Bill
NEW YORK (CBS 2/ WCBS 880/1010 WINS) — First Responders who became sick after working at Ground Zero following the World Trade Center terror attacks were in Washington Tuesday, hoping the trip would be the last one they needed to make. Supporters were optimistic the Senate would approve a scaled-back version of the measure before the Lame Duck session ends, Jay Dow reported. A newly revised version of the bill cuts costs by a billion dollars, essentially self-funds the program, and in doin...

Jon Kyl Still Making Sorry Excuses for Not Supporting First Responders Bill
It looks like Shep Smith isn't the only person on Fox News that was shamed by Jon Stewart into getting a bit tougher on these Republicans for filibustering the First Responders bill. Chris Wallace brought up Stewart's interview with First Responders to Jon Kyl, and in response we just got more sorry excuses as to why he still would not support the bill. Last week, an incensed Jon Stewart invited 9/11 First Responders to The Daily Show to offer their thoughts on this callous behavior. “Disg...

OReilly On 9/11 First Responders Bill: It Will Pass, Just May Take A Little Longer
Bill O’Reilly zapped Karl Rove from Texas to The O’Reilly Factor to discuss the 9/11 ‘First Responders’ bill that’s been gripping the political media. And their verdict? It still needs more time. According to O’Reilly, “It’s chaos” as it is—so why not wait until next year? Rove mainly agreed, while reiterating the fact that Republicans have questions about the bill, especially regarding its Budget. Some of those questions might even turn in...

Shepard Smith Unloads On Blockers Of 9/11 Responders Bill: 'How Do They Sleep At Night?' (VIDEO)
Shepard Smith excoriated the Senators who are holding up the so-called "Zadroga Bill" to assist 9/11 First Responders who suffer from medical problems as a result of their time at Ground Zero. The bill, which provides $7 billion for the responders, passed the House but is being held up by Republicans in the Senate. Speaking to Fox News colleague Chris Wallace on Friday, Smith asked, "How do they sleep at night after this vote on Ground Zero First Responders from 9/11? Are they going to get tha...

Key test vote in Senate for 9/11 health bill (AP)
WASHINGTON – The Senate is set for a key test vote on a bill to aid people who became sick after being exposed to Toxins at the World Trade Center ruins following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. New York Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said they were confident they had the 60 votes needed to prevail on the vote expected Wednesday after the Senate completes its work on an Arms Control treaty with Russia. But they worry that Republicans who oppose the measure could try t...

Key test vote in Senate for 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is set for a key test vote on a bill to aid people who became sick after being exposed to Toxins at the World Trade Center ruins following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. New York Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said they were confident they had the 60 votes needed to prevail on the vote expected Wednesday after the Senate completes its work on an Arms Control treaty with Russia. But they worry that Republicans who oppose the measure could tr...

The Morning Plum
* New START showdown set for today: With a key Senate vote set for today on the treaty, the pressure from the White House and Military leadership on wavering GOP senators couldn't be more intense. The Military leadership is engaged in a last-ditch push to undercut the two primary GOP objections, insisting that all reasonable concerns about the treaty have been met and that it must be ratified sooner ...

White House Lauds Jon Stewart for Pushing Passage of 9/11 Health Bill
Jon Stewart is seen onstage at Comedy Central's Night Of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert For Autism Education at the Beacon Theatre on October 2, 2010 in New York City. (Credit: Getty Images) During his press briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that comedian Jon Stewart may well have helped breathe new life into the prospects for passage of a Health Care bill for 9/11 First Responders. Stewart last week devoted a nine-minute segment of his Comed...

75 House lawmakers miss vote to fund government
Scores of House lawmakers skipped Tuesday’s vote to fund the government. At least 75 members were no shows at the rare House session. Most appeared to have failed to make the trek back to Capitol Hill to cast votes four days before Christmas. The House approved a resolution 193-165 late Tuesday to keep the government in business through March. Earlier in the day, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) broke the news to lawmakers that they would remain in session on Wednesday as well to vo...

Cheers and Jeers: Tuesday
From the GREAT STATE OF Maine... Time once again to play History: Cruel...or Kind? Round 1: Citing fears that it could lead to funding for Abortions, House Republicans vote against a bill---co-sponsored by 112 colleagues and previously passed unanimously by the Senate---that would prevent girls from being forced into child marriages. History will be kind because... no abortions will be funded, thus allowing more girls to be born and forced into child marriages. (Note: this assumes that histor...

White House praises Jon Stewart for plugging bill to help 9/11 responders
Source: The Hill White House praises Jon Stewart for plugging bill to help 9/11 responders By Jordan Fabian - 12/21/10 11:45 AM ET White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs praised television host Jon Stewart on Tuesday for talking about Legislation stalled in the Senate that would provide health benefits for 9/11 First Responders. "I think he has put the awareness around this legislation, and that's good," Gibbs said of the "Daily Show" host. During his press briefing, Gibbs said he hoped Stewa...

Democrats laud Jon Stewart for pushing 9/11 responders bill (The Ticket)
Could Jon Stewart be looking at a new career as a Lobbyist? Probably not, but the Comedy Central host is winning kudos from Washington Democrats for pushing a Sept. 11 First Responders bill on the "Daily Show." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday that he hopes Stewart can help Democrats win passage of the bill, which would offer Health Care compensation to responders and their families: I think if there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our politica...

House Will Stay to Pass 9/11 Bill (Updated)
The House will stay in session tomorrow to pass the 9/11 health bill, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) declared this afternoon, removing one more potential obstacle to passing the measure that woudl help ailing First Responders. “My expectation is there is a high likelihood of a vote on 9/11 sometime tomorrow," Hoyer said of the ongoing effort in the Senate to pass the $6.2 billion James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. "As a result, I would be asking all of you to st...

White House Looks to Jon Stewart in 9/11 Health Bill Bid
Because Jon Stewart is just so popular with the GOP(?!), the White House is taking the funnyman seriously when it comes to the proposed First Responders’ health measure. Not doing much to convince certain detractors that “The Daily Show” is in cahoots with the Obama administration, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs voiced his hope, during a press briefing Tuesday, that Jon Stewart would be able to rouse support among members of the Senate for a health measure designed t...

Shep Smith Zeroes In On Tom Coburn For Opposing 9/11 First Responders Bill
Fox News' Shep Smith has been shellacking Republicans left and right for opposing the 9/11 First Responders bill, and today he zeroed in on Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) for vowing to slow down or block the bill until the next session of Congress. In this latest installment, he showed a picture of Coburn and said: He is the man who is vowing to slow this down or block it, so that the necessary funding for the illnesses of the First Responders who made it to Ground Zero to try to save lives on the d...

Senate GOP's political opposition to 9/11 first responders bill draws criticism
 Senator Jon Kyl and other GOP Senators have been playing politics with the 9/11 First Responders bill, and they are losing. Republicans are fielding criticism from the left, and the right, over their opposition to a bill that would provide healthcare to patriotic Americans who became sick after working in the dust of the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 tragedy. The Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named for James Zadroga, a 9/11 first responder who died in 2006 of respirato...

Tuesday Open Thread
Joining in on Jon Stewart’s outrage over the failure of the 9/11 First Responders bill today was Fox News’ Shep Smith, who asked: “How do they sleep at night?” Stewart devoted his whole show last night to gravely attacking Senate Republicans for voting against the bill, which would provide Health Care to the First Responders on September 11. Shep was equally incensed: “Who’s going to hold these people’s feet to the fire? We’re able to put a 52-stor...

Shep Smith Names Every GOPer Who Wouldn't Talk 9/11 Bill With Him
Fox News' Shep Smith is continuing to hammer Republican senators who wouldn't pass the 9/11 First Responders bill, this time calling out by name those who wouldn't appear on his show to discuss the issue. "We called a lot of Republicans today who are in office at the moment," he said Monday afternoon. "These are the ones who told us 'no': Senators Alexander, Barrasso, Cornyn, Crapo, DeMint, Enzi, Grassley, Kyl, McConnell, Sessions, Baucus, Gregg, and Inhofe. No response from Bunning, Coburn, ...

No Joke: Stewart's Barbs Got 9/11 Health Bill Moving
UPDATE: Despite growing support for the bill, there is no indication Tuesday night that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, is willing to allow the 9/11 First Responder's bill through the Senate. Read about his argument HERE . ORIGINAL POST: The White House said today that comedian Jon Stewart has “put the awareness” around the 9/11 Health Care responders Legislation, hoping that will lead to additional Republican votes for the bill. “If there's the ability for that to sort of bre...

Zadroga Drama Reaches Final Hours
Passage of the 9/11 Health Bill is coming down to the wire now that the Senate is closing in on approving the START Treaty. With the two-thirds required to pass the nuclear arms pact with Russia now assured, the Senate must hold a 30-hour window to allow debate on the treaty. Once those 30 hours are up, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can file a motion to reconsider on the Zadroga Bill, which would create another 30-hour window to debate that measure. Once those 30 hours are up, Democrats mu...