House passes historic burn pits legislation
Local Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) and Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-36) were among those who voted in favor of a bill to help veterans who were exposed to burn pits or other dangerous toxins get access to care and benefits.
The bipartisan The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act passed in the House with a 342 to 88 vote. If signed into law, the PACT Act would get approximately 3.5 million veterans health care for burn pit exposure and other toxins.
The bill will now head back to the Senate before it reaches President Biden’s desk.
“The bipartisan PACT Act will provide essential care and benefits to our veterans who were exposed to burn pits and dangerous toxins while serving our country,” said Rep. Calvert. “The final version of this legislation has been improved thanks to bipartisan efforts and will help streamline benefits for eligible veterans. I will always uphold our commitment to care for those who have stepped forward to secure and defend our nation. To ensure our veterans and other healthcare and retirement programs continue to deliver the benefits Americans rely upon, Congress must engage in serious discussions to address our long-term fiscal challenges.”
The PACT Act includes key provisions authored by Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) to establish a presumption of service connection between veterans’ military service and 23 diseases and rare cancers.
“The House passage of the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act brings us closer than ever before to getting our burn pit-exposed veterans the presumptive benefits and care they need, earned, and deserve,” said Dr. Ruiz. “For years, I have led this fight on behalf of our nation’s veterans, and now, we stand at the precipice of making a monumental change in their lives. I implore the Senate to pass the Honoring our PACT Act immediately. Our veterans’ lives are on the line.”
The bill helps fulfill the vision of Jennifer Kepner, a Cathedral City veteran, who died from pancreatic cancer developed from her service in Iraq. Kepner, an Air Force medic, was exposed to toxic burn pits which caused her to develop pancreatic cancer.
In Sept. 2017, Kepner spoke with News Channel 3's John White about burn pits and how she believed they caused her pancreatic cancer.
Kepner lost her battle with cancer in Oct. 2017. She was just 39 years old, leaving behind a husband and two children.
The Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act was included in the Honoring our PACT Act to expand eligibility care "to veterans who participated in toxic exposure risk activities while serving on active duty, active duty for training or inactive duty training," according to a statement from Ruiz's office.
President Joe Biden addressed the issue of burn pits during his State of the Union address earlier this year.
"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.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
