The PACT Act, which will help veterans suffering from illnesses caused by toxic burn pits, now heads to the president’s desk.

The GOP vote to block the bill spurred veterans to show up outside the Capitol in protest, some of whom had been camped outside of the building for days. Jon Stewart, who has advocated on behalf of veterans for years, joined them and tore into Republicans as “stab-vets-in-the-back senators.”

“If this is America first, then America is fucked,” Stewart fumed.

But on Tuesday, Republicans folded and agreed to move forward on the bill on the condition that they could get votes on three GOP amendments. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wanted to reduce aid to other countries to help pay for the PACT Act. Toomey wanted to classify funding for the PACT Act as discretionary versus mandatory. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wanted to shift veterans care into private community care.

All of the amendments failed.

Just before the bill passed, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), the bill’s sponsor, tweeted a video of Stewart hugging him and thanking him outside the Capitol for getting the bill done.

“My man, pots and pans!” Stewart shouted at Tester.

“You brought this thing through and you made this happen,” he said, walking with his arm around the senator. “And these guys know that, and they appreciate it.”

[huffpost.com]