9/11 First Responders Storm Tom Coburn's Office To Protest Block On Their Health Care Bill (VIDEO)

UPDATE: The Senate has reached a deal that is expected to allow for the passage of a scaled-down health care package.

Senator Coburn responded in a statement:

"I'm pleased the sponsors of this bill agreed to lower costs dramatically, offset the bill, sunset key provisions and take steps to prevent fraud. Every American recognizes the heroism of the 9/11 first responders, but it is not compassionate to help one group while robbing future generations of opportunity. I'm pleased this agreement strikes a fair balance and improves the bill the majority attempted to rush through at the last minute."

EARLIER:

The below post has been updated.

A group of 9/11 first responders attempted to storm Tom Coburn's office Tuesday to personally lobby the GOP senator to lift a block that he had vowed to place on legislation meant to help cover their mounting health care costs.

John Feal, head of the responders, told ThinkProgress that they had been prohibited from meeting the Republican opponents of the bill. He called the actions "rude," and criticized Coburn directly:

"Mr. Coburn should be ashamed of himself," Feal told ThinkProgress. "Because I think before he was a senator he was a doctor and he took an oath to help people that are sick. He's going against his oath as a doctor. He can vote any way he wants as a senator, but as a doctor, he just embarrassed the medical profession."

Coburn explained on Tuesday that he was stonewalling the $6.2 billion bill because it hadn't been through a legitimate hearing process. There was a hearing on the measure, however, though Coburn was a no-show, a Senate Democratic aide explained on Tuesday.

Coburn has outlined a six-page list of concerns over the legislation that details some specific areas that the Oklahoma senator found objectionable. Among them: questions about the amount of funding, worries over the creation of a health care entitlement program, and apprehension about the effects of additional taxes and fees that were included as offset mechanisms.

Republicans have also balked on supporting the bill because of its proposed cost offsets, which had at first been designed to close a foreign corporate tax loophole, a tactic that's apparently unacceptable to a number of GOP senators. A second version of the bill would set a fee on federal government contractors with foreign countries that have not signed certain procurement agreements with the U.S and extend a fee that already exists on certain H1B visas.

Other key Republicans, such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, however, have been vocal about encouraging GOP senators to pass the legislation.

The ongoing debate has even gotten some members of Fox News riled up. Anchor Shep Smith has repeatedly taken Republicans to task for their reluctance to support the initiative. On Tuesday, Smith called out Coburn for obstructing the measure.

The Hill reports that Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the bill's sponsors, has announced plans to bring the measure to the floor on Wednesday afternoon.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that the Senate will hold a cloture vote at around noon to see if the bill providing healthcare benefits to 9/11 first responders can get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

WATCH ThinkProgress's coverage of the 9/11 responders on Capitol Hill:

Here's ThinkProgress's transcript of their interview with John Feal, leader of the first responders group.

FEAL: This is hard to swallow.

TP: What about going office to office? Have their staff and the senators been very receptive to the group?

FEAL: 90 percent of the time. Once in a while we'll run into some resistance and some arrogance and some rude people. Listen, we busted our asses since 9/11. We've fought and advocated for ourselves [while] others wouldn't. So to be insulted by the staff of the United States Senate and Congress - most of them were 12 years old when 9/11 happened - doesn't bother me.

TP: Last question I have is it was revealed today or yesterday that Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said that he was going to place a hold on this bill and not let it come up for a vote at all. If you could send a message to Mr. Coburn, what would that be?

FEAL: Mr. Coburn should be ashamed of himself. Because I think before he was a senator he was a doctor and he took an oath to help people that are sick. He's going against his oath as a doctor. He can vote any way he wants as a senator, but as a doctor, he just embarrassed the medical profession.

Comments

[JDZSB]

01:46 AM on 12/28/2010

I don't know the details on this bill, but I was under the impression that all of these public service workers have excellent medical, disability, and pension programs. What else are they asking over and above these benefits from the taxpayers? It seems like these days that all our government is doing is accommodating someone or group with hands out for more taxpayer money. Maybe I grew up in another universe where we were expected to take care of ourselves.

[Oonagh]

10:10 PM on 12/24/2010

You lie mr cob urn. You lie. There was a meeting to discuss this bill...you never showed up... Shame on you..

[Skunkman]

08:45 PM on 12/24/2010

It always astounds me that Tea Party candidates like Miller, who are supposed to be all about enfranchising real Americans, immediately turn around after losing and demand that voters who clearly voted against them be disenfranchised for minor technical errors. I guess they're not "real Americans" if they don't agree with Joe and his TP buddies.

Happy Holidays HP posters,
Mike:

[americanwhoserved]

08:41 AM on 12/25/2010

Fanned Skunkman: Beautifully stated.

And like you said, Happy Holidays to HP posters:

[Skunkman]

08:25 PM on 12/24/2010

Funny how Coburn questions this bill but he neglects...nah...refuses to question extending tax cuts for the wealthy-which makes absolutely no sense. Coburn is a hypocrite and a liar.

Mike

[americanwhoserved]

08:42 AM on 12/25/2010

Got that right Skunkman!

[Gaylord P Farqua]

03:38 PM on 12/24/2010

Coburn got exactly what his Party sent him out to get. The bill slashes the amount of benefits to the First Responders and they can bet that any notion of a future reevaluation and potential restoration of benefits is never going to happen under a GOP controlled House and the GOP obstruction team in the Senate.Someone below mentioned that every Fire Fighter, Emergency Medical person, Police Officer across the Nation and every citizen of the City of New York should blast every GOP Senator and Representative with emails and letters protesting this behavior. They are absolutely right. Until we react we will continue to be screwed.

[blinkthink]

10:09 PM on 12/24/2010

Exactly- I couldn't agree more. This was better than the 'nada' of the last nine years.

But I have to say Grayson was right-this is the GOP 'die quickly plan'-it lasts until 2016-initially the fund lasted until 2031. What happens beyond 2016? Not that the GOP cares.

[Johnniedog]

08:16 AM on 12/25/2010

Som­eone below mentioned that every Fire Fighter, Emergency Medical person, Police Officer across the Nation and every citizen of the City of New York should blast every GOP Senator and Representa­tive with emails and letters protesting this behavior.

Just replace this with "Everyone in the entire Country."

[mamadeus]

10:42 AM on 12/24/2010

Every Fireman, paramedic and policeman in the country should be protesting these un-American
Congressman. How unpatriotic can you be?

[salesdude]

03:47 AM on 12/24/2010

So much for the hippocratic oath of do no harm...I guess it only applies to your constituents and corporate donors. Everyone else is just fair game for your exploitation.

[americanwhoserved]

08:46 AM on 12/25/2010

Exactly, and then he uses it for privacy protection, claiming "patient/doctor" privilege while advising senator Ensign how to bribe the husband of the wife he was having an affair with. Fanned.

[afgail]

02:01 AM on 12/24/2010

The First Responders "stormed Coburn's office". Must have scared the senator good. I'm sure the GOPers must have a latent fear that some angry group will go postal right in their office. They must have a notion of how angry voters are about their slimy tactics.

[nananance]

11:21 PM on 12/23/2010

Maybe Dr. No should have had his staff fact-check whether there had indeed been a hearing before inserting his foot in his mouth

[Larry Motuz]

05:28 PM on 12/24/2010

He lies because he can get away with it. The media don't call them lies, just 'news'.

[ampdem]

11:13 PM on 12/23/2010

This is what people should do from now on whenever they are expected to endure more cuts on social security, medicare, unemployment, etc. while the wealthy Re-public-con politicians expect the rest of us to endure so they can continue to get massive tax cut/handouts on our back.
We should visit our senators, especialy those that deny the middle class,elderly,disabled,children, just so they can continue to proffit at our expense. We need to let these senators know that in a time when our country is in crisis measures should be taken and applied to all not just those that have the least.

[ampdem]

09:41 PM on 12/23/2010

Since Republicans are the party of No Taxes, No spending, they should all move to the moon and start a new colony. Dems will all pitch in and pay for a one way ticket for each of them. Oh but wait that will not work cause it's not no tax that they want it's not paying their fair share and getting handouts from the rest of us that works for them. We need major Tax reform (umong other things) in order to continue to co-exist with these creeps.

[Sharkcellar]

09:38 PM on 12/23/2010

America treats its heroes like crap. Our soldiers, treated like crap. First responders, treated like crap. Our workers, treated like crap. Our teachers, treated like crap. Our financial institutions...oh wait, they're treated pretty well, aren't they?

[nananance]

11:22 PM on 12/23/2010

Faved, wes, we treat our heroes like crap and our crap like heroes

[Ascoli]

05:26 PM on 12/24/2010

So true......so fanned

[mm3264]

09:21 PM on 12/23/2010

We can only hope that Coburn and DeMint, their children, their children's children and their grandchildren's children become just as sick with breathing problems and cancers as those patriotic Americans who responded to the attack on The United States Of America on 9/11/2001. In 9 years, we can then think about whether or not they can find the funds to offset medical care for them. By the way, how did the Republicans fund the 700 billion dollars kickback to those who funded their election campaigns?

[ampdem]

09:20 PM on 12/23/2010

I hope the President and Democrats intend to speak up/stand up against Re-public-­­cons that want to further cut Medicare and dismantle Social Security. Extreme cuts to Medicare have already been made since Around 2005 to present. We know that the Re-public-­­cons would not hesitate to cut from the elderly,ha­­ndicap and anyone that is helpless and can not defend themselves­­, including children. Re-public-­­cons will cut anything from anyone to serve themselves­­, and their greed will stop at nothing.

The Dems. need to stand up for what is humane, and make these creeps and their Corps. pay their fair share in taxes, as well as make them bring back American jobs, or stop expecting tax relief from Americans. Employees rights, Tax code, and Corporate abuse need to be addressed.
America needs to take care of it's people. We need jobs, healthcare­­, and basic needs, met here at home before we do it anywhere else. Addressing how elections are funded and by whom is also a must. Our democracy is being bought and sold by Republican­­/ frauds with the mentality of dictators who intend to silence us, and let only the selfish desires of greed and wealth be heard. The Re-publi-c­­on mentality of ignorance,­­intoleran­c­e and opression is not what America is about. If the Dems do not stand up for America the Re-public-­­cons will destroy this country and it's principals beyond recognitio­­n and repair.

[mybeep1]

08:35 PM on 12/23/2010

Fraud can be an issue with either claimants, doctors or both. Too many politicians tripping over each other in self congratulatory manner.

The man who measures the rope makes sure there is enough rope for everyone.