Jon Stewart Bashes Congress for Ignoring Veterans While Being ‘Wonka’s Chocolate Factory’ for Defense Contractors: ‘It’s Bullsh*t And It’s Gotta Stop’

Jon Stewart joined members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday to support legislation taking care of American veterans suffering serious medical problems after toxic burn pit exposure.

A number of veterans have developed long-term health issues as a result of being exposed to burn pits used in Iraq and Afghanistan to get rid of a lot of trash. Stewart has worked with the organization Burn Pits 360 on this issue, and he was in D.C. last month speaking alongside senators who introduced legislation.

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman Mark Takano (D- CA) introduced the Honoring Our PACT Act Wednesday, and Stewart joined committee members Wednesday for a press conference.

After a brief joke about all the cicadas in D.C., Stewart explained exactly what veterans’ services organizations said is needed to help take care of these veterans, but what struck him was how they went on to “talk about what they think they could get.”

“And it reminded us that Congress’ reticence and inaction has caused our veterans community over these many years to negotiate against itself. To negotiate against the need that they have and the need that their population has against the purse strings that the VA and the Congress were holding over them,” he said.

“Defense contractors can’t view the U.S. Congress as Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, while veterans are back there like Oliver with a bowl of gruel asking, ‘Please, sir, may I have some more? It’s bullshit and it’s gotta stop. And if these bills can finally end this cycle for the veterans… then we have to get this done.”

You can watch the press conference above (Stewart’s comments start around the 23:20 mark), via The Hill.