Editing Jon Stewart (section)

=== Honoring our PACT Act ===
{{main|Honoring our PACT Act of 2022}}

On September 30, 2021, Stewart debuted his [[Apple TV+]] show, ''[[The Problem with Jon Stewart]]'' by discussing the effects burn pits have had on [[veterans]]. Earlier in 2021, the bill [[Honoring our PACT Act of 2021|Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (PACT Act)]] was introduced. The [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] passed the bill by 256–174 on March 3, 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takano |first=Mark |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Actions - H.R.3967 - 117th Congress (2021–2022): Honoring our PACT Act of 2021 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3967/all-actions |access-date=March 3, 2022 |website=www.congress.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kheel |first=Rebecca |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Sweeping Toxic Exposure Bill Passed by House |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/03/03/sweeping-toxic-exposure-bill-passed-house.html |access-date=March 8, 2022 |website=Military.com |language=en}}</ref> and passed the [[United States Senate|Senate]] by 84–14 on June 16, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2022 |title=Senate passes amended version of PACT act, providing health care benefits to veterans |url=https://www.wwaytv3.com/senate-passes-amended-version-of-pact-act-providing-health-care-benefits-to-veterans/ |access-date=June 17, 2022 |website=WWAYTV3 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2022 |title=Senators celebrate passage of Honoring our Pact Act |url=https://www.wavy.com/washington-dc/senators-celebrate-passage-of-honoring-our-pact-act/ |access-date=June 17, 2022 |website=WAVY.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Senate passes the PACT Act to provide more help to veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins |url=https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2022-06-16/burn-pits-veterans-pact-act-6364767.html |access-date=June 17, 2022 |website=Stars and Stripes |language=en}}</ref> The bill was reintroduced to the Senate for minor changes which Republican senators including [[Pat Toomey]], [[Ted Cruz]], and [[Josh Hawley]] voted against, putting the bill in jeopardy. Their opposition was the unfounded claim that the bill could be used as a slush fund.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2022/08/01/toomey-amendment-budget-gimmick-veterans-health-pact-act-burn-pit-cancer-toxins-agent-orange/stories/202208010064|title= Sen. Pat Toomey defends his effort to remove 'budget gimmick' from veterans health bill to address illnesses from burn pits, other toxins|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref>

Stewart became a prominent advocate for the bill in person, on [[Twitter]] and on various cable news shows including [[Fox News]]' ''[[America's Newsroom|America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer]], [[CNN]]'s ''[[The Lead with Jake Tapper]]'', [[MSNBC]]'s ''[[Morning Joe]], and [[Newsmax]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thewrap.com/jon-stewart-pact-act-jake-tapper-cnn-interview/|title= Jon Stewart Drops F-Bombs on CNN, Calls Out GOP Senators Who Flipped on PACT Act: 'What Are You F-king Talking About?!' (Video)|website= [[The Wrap]]|date= July 29, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.foxnews.com/media/jon-stewart-bill-veterans-exposed-burn-pits|title= Jon Stewart says bill to help veterans exposed to burn pits '6 to 8 senators away' from passage|website= [[Fox News]]|date= May 27, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/jon-stewart-gop-using-false-talking-point-on-veterans-health-bill-145048645682|title= Jon Stewart: GOP using false talking point on veterans health bill|website= August 4, 2022}}</ref> On July 28, 2022, Stewart held a press conference on [[Capitol Hill]] where he stated: {{blockquote|America's heroes, who fought in our wars, outside sweating their asses off…battling all kinds of ailments, while these motherfuckers sit in the air conditioning, walled off from any of it. They don't have to hear it, they don't have to see it. They don't have to understand that these are human beings…. I'm used to the lies, I'm used to the hypocrisy…. Senate is where accountability goes to die…. I'm used to all of it. But I am not used to cruelty.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/08/pact-act-passes-after-jon-stewart-flames-republican-lawmakers|title= PACT Act Passes After Jon Stewart Flames Republican Lawmakers|website= [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|date= August 3, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref>}}

On August 2, 2022, the PACT Act passed in bipartisan measure, 84 to 11.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.npr.org/2022/08/02/1115325176/pact-act-veterans-burn-pits-toxins-passes-senate|title= The Senate passes help for veterans exposed to toxins, after a reversal drew fury|website= [[NPR]]|date= August 2, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref> Stewart was praised for lending his voice and celebrity to the issue and is credited as being an essential actor in getting the bill passed.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/03/senate-passes-pact-act-veterans-toxins-burn-pits|title= Jon Stewart celebrates after Senate passes bill to assist veterans exposed to toxins|website= [[The Guardian (website)|The Guardian]]|date= August 3, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.newsweek.com/rand-paul-ripped-jon-stewart-praised-veterans-bill-passes-senate-1730266|title= Jon Stewart Praised as Veterans Bill Passes Senate|website= [[Newsweek]]|date= August 2, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref> Stewart stated after the bill's passing, that while it "feels good", it "shouldn't have been this hard".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/veterans-started-camping-capitol-steps-gop-blocks-burn-pit-bill-rcna40981|title= Veterans have been camping out on the Capitol steps after GOP blocks burn pit bill|website= [[NBC News]]|date= August 2, 2022|access-date= August 4, 2022}}</ref> On August 10, the act was signed by President [[Joe Biden]] at a ceremony in the [[White House]], where he praised Stewart for his commitment on this issue saying in part, "What you've done Jon, matters...It really, really matters. To refuse to let anybody forget, refuse to let them forget. And we owe you big, man. We owe you big."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://news.yahoo.com/biden-praises-jon-stewart-advocacy-153506827.html|title= Biden praises Jon Stewart's advocacy for veterans|website= [[Yahoo News]]|date= August 10, 2022|access-date= August 10, 2022}}</ref>