It’s good-news-but for the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has committed to calling a Senate vote in August on a bill to replenish and extend the fund — but with no guarantee it will match the bill finally making its way through the House.

McConnell made his vow Tuesday while meeting with 9/11 first-responders lobbying to save the fund, which is so short on cash that it’s now paying out only 20 cents on the dollar for new claims for health care and services for Ground Zero veterans.

The House bill is sailing through after Jon Stewart won headlines for the cause by denouncing members who failed to show for a key hearing. It would dedicate ample cash for the fund all the way through 2090.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she has 60 co-sponsors for a companion Senate bill, which would seem to make passage easy-peasy. But the Senate could still pass some more limited measure — forcing a delay (at least) to work out a compromise.

But Washington’s ways shouldn’t block relief that’s needed now: If McConnell does draw out the long-term reauthorization of the fund, he should pair it with emergency funding so that payouts immediately go back to 100 cents on the dollar.

Anything less is playing politics with the needs of hurting heroes.