Jon Stewart Joins 9/11 Workers in Pressing Congress to Extend Benefits

Jon Stewart, the recently retired host of “The Daily Show,” exhorted Congress on Wednesday to permanently extend a law providing treatment and compensation to rescue workers who were injured or sickened by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The bill, which is set to start expiring next month, has long been a favored cause of the comedian, whose shows in 2010 criticizing the law’s Republican opponents and showcasing emergency medical workers with health problems helped prompt its passage.

The law, called the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, pledged federal money for the health care of rescue workers who had for years been forced to depend on mix of short-term federal, city and private money.

With rescue workers and advocates growing nervous that they will be left shouldering the burden for expensive treatment, a bearded Mr. Stewart, flanked by law enforcement officials and New York lawmakers, spoke at a rally in front of the United States Capitol.

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