Comedian Jon Stewart, firefighters, policemen and other 9/11 first responders confronted lawmakers Thursday as they pressured Congress to extend health care benefits before they run out. After a rally on the Capitol lawn, Stewart and several first responders — many sick or dying — personally sought support for legislation to extend medical monitoring, treatment and compensation dollars for those exposed to toxic dust while cleaning up after the 2001 attacks in New York.

As of Thursday morning, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) was among just 34 senators who had not signed on as a sponsor of a new 9/11 health and compensation bill. But by nighttime that had changed, and the Ohio Republican and former Bush administration budget director became the 67th senator to back a bill that would make permanent the health and compensation program for 9/11 responders, which began to expire this year. More.

In a letter that paid tribute to the sacrifice of a woman who spent weeks after the Sept. 11 attack rescuing pets from lower Manhattan apartments and who died of cancer earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan has written to each of his 434 House colleagues to urge them to approve a permanent extension of the World Trade Center Health Program. More.

For Nick Poliseno of Spotswood, the James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act of 2010 is a lifesaver. Known simply as the Zadroga Act, the legsilation provides medical treatment and health benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors. Funding for the Zadroga Act is set to run out Oct. 3, 2016. More.

Calling it a "shameful" situation, several members of Congress, along with local elected officials and leaders of the State Police and fire unions, gathered Monday at the Fire Headquarters on Irvington Avenue to call for permanent reauthorization of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. More.

New Jersey state Senator Raymond Lesniak will stand up with Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage and US Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, the NJ State Firefighters’ Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA), and the NJ State Policeman’s Benevolent Association (PBA) to support the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. More.

Long Island residents, who are also 9/11 first responders, showed their support Sunday for victims of recent terror attacks. The first responders gathered at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park in Nesconset to honor the victims of the attacks in Paris and Mali. More.

Former Deputy Mayor John Zuccotti, whose namesake park was briefly taken over by Occupy Wall Street protesters in 2011, has died. He was 78. Zuccotti was a real estate investor who championed the revival of lower Manhattan in the wake of the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center. More.