Two 9/11 first responders lambasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina for failing to renew a compensation fund for 9/11 victims during a CNN appearance on Wednesday.
Interviewed by CNN’s John Berman for “New Day,” John Feal and Brian McGuire — both of whom were first responders at the World Trade Center in New York City following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks — asserted that neither McConnell nor Graham is doing enough to help 9/11 first responders receive the health care they need.
Feal, founder of the FeelGood Foundation, praised comedian Jon Stewart for his efforts on behalf of 9/11 first responders. And Feal noted that he has attended countless funerals since 9/11, saying, “I’ve been to over 180 of these funerals. This is painful. This is sad. And I’m tired of listening to excuses.”
When Berman asked who was responsible for the holdup with support for the 9/11 compensation fund, Feal responded, “History will show you, in 2010, 2015, it was Republican leadership.”
Feal explained what while the Democrat-controlled House has been responsive to his “team” recently, he had major complaints about the Senate.
“Now,” Feal told Berman, “we’re going to go to the Senate, where bills go to die, because it’s run by a bunch of cranky old white men who are trying to keep control of this country. So, Mitch McConnell, we’re on our way. Lindsey Graham, we’re on our way. You know who we are; we’ve met with you before. We’re just not going to take your crap this time. It’s that simple.”
Feal went on to tell Berman, “Thank you for telling our story because without you telling our story, this remains a New York issue. There’s 433 out of 435 congressional districts in this country that sent somebody to Ground Zero, the Pentagon or Shanksville, (Pennsylvania) that are affected by 9/11.”
Feal added that according to the federal government, “there are 12,000 people now with a certified cancer” because of the health problems they suffered as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
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