ComedianJon Stewart, who has beenadvocating for passageof legislation to help war veterans exposed to toxins from burn pits, was in the crowd Wednesday when PresidentJoe Bidensigned the long-awaited PACT Act into law.
Stewart, former host ofThe Daily Show, has beenworking alongside veterans service organizationsto move the bill forward. He pointed out that some advocates have been pushing for the federal government to expand these health benefits for war veterans for 15 years.
On Aug. 2,the bill finally passed in the Senateand made its way to the president’s desk for Wednesday’s ceremony.
“It’s a great relief. You know, immediately I think all the veteran service organizations, and everybody else kind of shifts to implementation. These guys are relentless, and they are dedicated,” Stewart told PEOPLE moments after the legislation was signed. “They’ll grab a moment’s, kind of, pleasure but it’s also, you have to understand, we’ve lost a lot of friends along the way so it’s not — it’s relief without celebration to a certain extent.”
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty
Lawmakers, government officials, veterans and their family members gathered together for the formal bill signing at the White House. The ceremony brought tears to the eyes of some attendees, including Stewart.
“I’m a man so I don’t cry,” he quipped after the signing. “I was a mess. I’ve been a mess the whole time.”
President Biden at the PACT Act signing.Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty
“What you’ve done, Jon, matters. And you know it does. You should know. It really, really matters,” Biden said. “You refuse to let anybody forget. You refuse to let them forget. And we owe you big, man. We owe you big.”
In addition to the burn pits bill, Stewart’s activism was adriving force behind past legislationto provide health care for Sept. 11, 2001, first responders.
Asked if he’d ever run for public office, Stewart responded, “I would not, but thank you.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said passage of the bill would not have happened without Stewart and 9/11 first responder John Feal, who traveled frequently to Washington for meetings with lawmakers about the burn pits bill.
“Everybody loves the backup quarterback,” Stewart said.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty
Stewart stressed that veterans advocates are now looking toward the implementation of the legislation and ensuring that it goes smoothly and effectively.
“[Veterans Affairs Sec. Richard] McDonough has implemented sort of a paperless process that they’re just now going through. So hopefully that will bear some fruit,” he said.
McDonough told reporters that the Department of Veterans Affairs has hired thousands of claims processors over the last 8-10 months in anticipation of the legislation passing. The department is currently in the process of training them.
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source: people.com
