Congressman Raul Ruiz outraged after Senate blocks burn pits bill
Local Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz said he is outraged after Senate Republicans blocked the "Pact Act" which would have provided benefits and care to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.
But Ruiz says the fight isn't over. News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke with him about why this legislation matters and what happens next.
What is the PACT Act?
The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2021 would 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.
The bill contains two major components. First, it extends the grace period by which military veterans serving near burn pits can get medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Their eligibility for VA care will double from five years after their discharge to 10 years.
Second, the legislation directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service. Currently, more than 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.
The bill is projected to increase federal spending by about $283 billion over 10 years and does not include offsetting spending cuts or tax increases to help pay for it. An earlier version the House approved in March cost more than $320 billion over 10 years, but senators trimmed some of the costs early on by phasing in certain benefit enhancements.
Those changes brought on board more House Republicans, such as Rep. Mike Bost, the ranking Republican on the veterans panel. He said the latest version also helps ensure the VA has the staff capacity to meet the additional demand it will be facing.
“It reflects bipartisan negotiations and input from VA, who is ultimately responsible for putting it into practice,” Bost said.
Local Veteran Jennifer Kepner
One of the key provisions that Congressman Ruiz included in the bill was the Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act.
Jennifer Kepner was an Air Force medic 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.
"She and her family faced roadblocks to getting the care that she needed from the (Veterans Affairs)," Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Coachella, said in his speech on the House floor urging passage of the legislation. "At her kitchen table, she asked me to lead this fight and I promised her that I would."
The House of Representatives originally passed the bill back in March, on what would've been Kepner's 44th birthday.
