Just a couple of weeks ago, Lou Alvarez joined Jon Stewart on Capitol Hill to speak to Congress on renewing the 9/11 First Responder’s fund that was running out. Alvarez had already gone through 68 chemotherapy sessions after 9/11 and was scheduled to have his 69th the day after his congressional hearing appearance.
As you will see the video below, Lou looked fragile at the time of his speech to Congress, but he did garner a standing ovation at the end. Lou is now in hospice.
Sen. Mitch McConnell only a couple of days ago called out Stewart on bringing that type of emotion to Capitol Hill claiming that Congress was going to take care of their responsibility and renew the fund. Stewart was angry because three-fourths of the committee dipped out of the testimonies.
This does make me angry. Congress doesn’t show up to many of the important hearings because they have too much scheduled? I contend that they should either be docked pay for every hearing they “can’t” attend or perhaps they need to be fined for overscheduling.
This is what happens when rich politicians continue to play political games publicly and feign concern for their constituents, but behind closed doors, they live largely, live in luxury, and get richer off tax-payers’ dollars.
A cancer-stricken 9/11 first responder who testified alongside Jon Stewart at last week’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on reauthorizing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is now in hospice care.
Lou Alvarez, a 53-year-old former NYPD bomb squad detective who appeared with other first responders at the Capitol, said in a Facebook post Wednesday that doctors informed him that his condition had worsened and there is “nothing else” they can do for him.
“The day after my trip I was scheduled for chemo, but the nurse noticed I was disoriented,” he wrote. “A few tests later they realized that my liver had completely shut down because of the tumors and wasn’t cleaning out the toxins in my body and it was filling up with ammonia, hence the disorientation.”
Alvarez, who has colorectal cancer, told the House subcommittee on June 11 that he agreed to testify despite having his 69th round of chemotherapy scheduled for the next day. [Yahoo News]
There should be a law that that those in government can have the same healthcare plan that is provided for the poorest among us. Then I’m sure they would figure out a way to fix healthcare. It is only when it affects them that they would be willing to find a real solution to the healthcare crisis.
This man, along with the other 911 first responders are national hero’s and them, and their families should be treated as such. Thank you, sir, for your service to humanity. Travel well.
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