The long road to a veterans bill, paved by Jon Stewart

It seemed like a bill to extend healthcare to US veterans affected by burn pits might be blocked by Republicans – then a beloved TV host stepped in. David Taintor reports

Jon Stewart hugs a veteran campaigner (AP)

Jon Stewart gets results.

The former late-night political satirist embarked on a new chapter after his stint at the helm of The Daily Show – advocating for veterans. And so far, it’s been an effective venture.

He travelled to Washington DC and took to the airwaves of Fox News to promote the Pact Act, which provides healthcare to military veterans exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits. These pits, which were used by the American military in Iraq and Afghanistan to dispose of waste products that include plastics, chemicals, paint, petroleum and unexploded artillery, give off toxic fumes. Their usage left thousands of US veterans with lung disease, rare cancers and other ill effects.

If you’re a regular reader of The Independent’s US coverage, you’ve likely seen our extensive coverage of the issue. Rachel Sharp’s recent in-depth feature about the veterans camping out in Washington DC is a particularly instructive read.

On Wednesday, the US Senate finally passed the Pact Act after Republicans previously blocked the legislation. The legislative victory is a testament to Stewart’s success as an advocate. He was able to cut through the noise in Washington to deliver a clear and emotional message on the importance of taking care of those who served, drawing on his skills as a political commentator.

During a fiery speech ahead of the Senate’s ultimate passage of the bill this week, Stewart addressed critics who said he was inserting himself into the political process: “You can attack me all you want. And you can troll me online ... but here’s the beautiful thing, I don’t give a shit I’m not scared of you. And I don’t care.”

Standing with a group of veterans, he continued: “Because these are the people that I owe a debt of gratitude to, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to. And it’s about time we start paying it off.”

In politics, no group is as revered as military veterans. Yet, homelessness among veterans remains high and around 20 veterans die by suicide every day. For as much lip service as politicians give veterans, clearly the US government could do more to help.

This bill is a start. And it seems the political persuasion convinced lawmakers to support it. Only 11 senators voted against the legislation.

Stewart was there to watch the action unfold. Speaking to The Independent’s Eric Garcia after the vote, the TV host grew emotional. “Feels good, they earned it,” he said of the veterans with whom he had gathered during the vote. “Shouldn’t have been this hard.”

Eric Golnick, a veteran who turned up for the vote, said: “I care about my friends getting the help that they need, and not only them but their families getting the survivor benefits when they ultimately pass away from these incurable cancers. That they’re actually getting taken care of. So that’s where the real anger comes from... This should have been done many years ago.”

Yours,

David Taintor

US deputy news editor