Mitch, sideline Rand

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, like every state, has two senators in Washington. Republican Mitch McConnell is the majority leader and is responsible for the orderly conduct of the nation’s affairs. Republican Rand Paul is neither a leader nor orderly, but a disruptive force who is blocking his 99 colleagues from joining an almost unanimous House (40212) in passing a permanent extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to provide financial support for the sick, dying and dead heroes and victims from the attack on the World Trade Center.

McConnell must redeem the honor of the Senate and file a cloture motion to force a vote on the bill, which has 74 senators as sponsors. A majority of the majority Republicans are signed on; so is every single Democrat. Paul and fellow objector Mike

Lee of Utah claim they have no problem with replenishing funds for gravely ill or deceased cops and firefighters, they just want an equivalent cut elsewhere in the budget.

Tax cuts, Pentagon spending and other budget lines are orders of magnitude more significant than victim compensation. This is not the hill to die on, not with men and women who sacrificed in the wake of terrorist attacks on America dying.

Lou Alvarez, born in Cuba, was a U.S. Marine before joining the NYPD in 1990. He served on The Pile in the days and weeks after 9/11 and contracted cancer as a result. It took his life just weeks ago.

McConnell has Alvarez’s gold detective shield. Lou’s dying wish was that the bill be passed. It’s McConnell’s duty to finish the mission.