WASHINGTON — Sen. Rick Scott, the former Florida governor, is the latest lawmaker to co-sponsor the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund bill, The Post has learned.
Scott will become the Senate bill’s 10th Republican to sign on and 43rd sponsor overall, getting the legislation within two votes of a veto-proof majority, if every Democrat in the Senate votes yea, along with the Republicans who have signaled their support.
By the end of last week, a spokesperson for Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) said he planned to co-sponsor the bill. He’s now officially on the legislation.
Additionally, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) said he supports helping first responders who’ve become ill and “hopes legislation will be considered in the coming weeks.”
Since former “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart shamed House members for not attending a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing that featured 9/11 victims sick with cancer, three new Senate Democrats joined the effort as well — Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
More Republican votes seem to be out there too.
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) told The Post in a statement that “it is a moral obligation for us to take care of these people.”
He said he would “familiarize myself with the intricacies of the policy in preparation for the floor vote.”
Since Stewart’s appearance on Capitol Hill last Tuesday, the comedian and activist has been in a back-and-forth with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has the power to torpedo the bill.
The House version of the bill is expected to pass overwhelmingly, as it now has 320 co-sponsors.
But in the past, Stewart said that McConnell played “political football” with the issue. “Mitch McConnell has been the white whale of this since 2010,” Stewart said on “Fox News Sunday.”
On Monday’s “Fox & Friends,” McConnell explained that “many things in Congress happen at the last minute,” and suggested Stewart was “bent out of shape” for no reason. Speaking of the missing Judiciary Committee members, McConnell pointed out how busy members of Congress are.
Stewart appeared on Monday night’s episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and took aim at McConnell again.
“Well now I feel better,” Stewart said sarcastically. “I didn’t know they were busy. I didn’t mean to interrupt them — with their jobs.”
“I know that your species isn’t known for moving quickly,” Stewart added, directing that jab at McConnell.
Colbert asked, “Would that be a turtle reference, Jon?”
It was.
Stewart also pointed out, “These are the first heroes, and veterans, and victims of the great trillions-of-dollars war on terror” and told McConnell that he could “pass this thing as a stand-alone bill tomorrow.”
But it’s more likely the Democrat-led House will pass it first. With regular order, it still needs to be scored by the Congressional Budget Office before a full House vote, though that process can be waived.
Bill sponsor Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) said she hopes the vote happens by July 4th.
The bill weaving its way through Congress would permanently reauthorize the Victim Compensation Fund until 2090, which should account for all adult and child victims of the 2001 terror attacks.
Past versions of the legislation have only allowed for claims to be submitted in five-year increments and capped the amount of money allocated for the victims. The new bill would also remove the cap.