House passes Burn Pits bill on birthday of local veteran who led calls for change
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark burn pits bill to address issues impacting toxic-exposed veterans' access to benefits and care.
Tens of thousands of military service members in Iraq and Afghanistan were exposed to hundreds of burn pits to dispose of trash.
Service members exposed to the burn pits and other toxins overseas often face a cumbersome – and sometimes impossible – disability benefit claims process at the Department of Veterans Affairs to get the health care they need.
"When our country sent our brave service members on tours of duty, we didn't just expose them to danger from the enemy, but also from our own toxic burn pits. Now, many are sick and dying of respiratory diseases and cancers – and they need access to the health care they have more than earned," said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
President Joe Biden addressed the issue of burn pits during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
"I'm also calling on Congress to pass a law to ensure veterans devastated by the toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan finally get the benefits and comprehensive health care they deserve," Biden said.
The bill, H.R. 3967, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021, or the Honoring our PACT Act, includes provisions authored by local Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36).
According to Ruiz's office, the provisions establish a presumption of service connection for 23 conditions, including respiratory conditions and cancers for approximately 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards.
“Today is a historic day in the fight to get veterans who are currently sick and dying due to their burn pit exposure the care they desperately need,” said Dr. Ruiz. “I am thrilled to see the House pass the Honoring our PACT Act to fulfill our nation's promise to take care of our veterans after they serve our nation."
Ruiz also acknolodged Jennifer Kepner, a Cathedral City veteran who was a leader in raising concerns about the effects of burn pits. News Channel 3's John White first spoke with Kepner about the issue in Sept. 2017. Kepner blamed her pancreatic cancer on her exposure to burn pits.
Kepner passed away on Oct. 18. 2017 after a year long battle with cancer. The House actually passed the burn pits bill on what would've been her 44th birthday.
Ruiz has continued on with Kepner's fight, naming a bill after her and working with her husband as well as other veterans. He is also the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Burn Pits Caucus.
Last year, Ruiz joined advocates Jon Stewart, John Feal, and Rosie Torres of Burn Pits 360 along with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to introduce H.R. 2372, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act.
"In memory of Cathedral City veteran Jennifer Kepner, I have fought tooth and nail to end the use of burn pits and get our heroes in uniform the benefits and care they have earned and deserve. Today, on her birthday, we have honored her memory in passing this life-saving bipartisan bill," Ruiz said.
Ruiz called on the Senate to pass the bill.
“With my priority to establish a presumption of service connection between veterans’ health and their toxic exposure included, the Honoring our PACT Act will make Jennifer's vision for her fellow veterans a reality. I call on the Senate to take up this urgently needed comprehensive legislation without delay. Anything less than the presumptive benefits in the Honoring our PACT Act is a dereliction of our nation’s duty to those who have served our nation,” Ruiz said.
The bill has the support of Democratic Senator Gillibrand and Republican Senator Marco Rubio.
"I will be working my hardest to ensure the Senate passes my bill, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act. I am grateful to Senator Rubio, Congressman Ruiz and Congressman Fitzpatrick for their partnership on that bill, and will continue to work with them until we ensure that the VA cannot delay or deny care to suffering veterans for one more day," Gillibrand said.
“It is simple. We need to ensure veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins while defending our nation receive the care they need and deserve,” Rubio said. “They are being denied benefits for illnesses directly connected to their service. We do not need another study or academic panel to tell us what we already know. It is long past time for Congress to act, and I remain committed to getting a meaningful and comprehensive bill signed into law."
