Jon Stewart To Lobby Congress For 9/11 First Responders

With the Daily Show now behind him, comedian Jon Stewart plans to lobby Congress next week for a bill that supports 9/11 first responders. The move, announced by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, comes as a health program for first responders is set to expire.

The World Trade Center Health Program monitors and provides health treatment to more than 30,000 first responders for illness caused during the aftermath of 9/11. Many first responders suffer from illnesses like cancer as a result of their work at Ground Zero.

Stewart has been a long-time advocate on 9/11 first responder health issues. In a particularly memorable Daily Show segment in 2010,the former television host brought four first responders on his show to share how they felt about a Senate filibuster of a health bill.

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Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com.