Of all the people out there fighting for the authorization of the 9/11 VCF, none were more persistent than Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and John Feal (except, of course, Jon Stewart). The Congresswoman has been fighting for this bill for 15 years. John Feal wasn’t far behind. He was a contractor brought in to help clear out the site. In fact, he lost part of his foot in an on-site accident. They will talk about the hard work it took, unbelievably, to get the people who demanded those still buried in the rubble be treated with respect, the help they deserve. Even after the city said it would simply bulldoze the wreckage, they insisted they’d keep digging until every possible remain was found. Still, year after year, with their health deteriorating, the Responders were forced to go to D.C., begging for the money they need for treatment, or to feed their families. The Congresswoman will answer the most asked question, “why did it take so long?”  And they’ll tell us how getting Jon Stewart involved meant more than adding a celebrity face to the fight. He was the not-so-secret weapon that actually changed hearts and minds and got a tight-fisted Senate to hand over the cash needed to help the responders, former students and Lower Manhattan residents until 2090 or, basically, forever.