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Rep Raul Ruiz’s burn pits legislation signed into law

Published August 13, 2018 8:47 PM

Legislation authored by local Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz that seeks to end the use of burn pits has been signed into law by President Donald Trump.

During his visit to Fort Drum in New York, President Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act.

The act includes two amendments written by Ruiz. The first amendment directs the Department of Defense to conduct a feasibility study on phasing out the use of burn pits. The amendment requires the Department of Defense to complete this study within 180 days.

The second amendment directs the Department of Defense to carry out an annual education campaign to encourage servicemembers exposed to burn pits to enroll in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pits Registry. The registry is designed to help the public understand the health effects of burn pits and increase veteran awareness of changes in their health that could be early signs of serious illness.

The two amendments were introduced and passed in the House in May.

Ruiz has fought against the use of burn pits since the death of local veteran Jennifer Kepner, who passed away October 18, 2017, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 39. News Channel 3’s John White spoke with Kepner before her death.

Kepner served as an Air Force medic in Iraq in 2006. She believed her cancer was caused by the pollution she was exposed to from her time working in the burn pits.

“It was her main goal to bring awareness and to change how we operate and not using these burn pits that we still use today,” said Ben Kepner, Jennifer’s husband, told John White in January.