Congresswoman’s Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act, included in Honoring our PACT Act, will cut-red tape for veterans in need of specialized care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin's (MI-08) Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act, which will provide veterans affected by burn pit exposure access to specialized care, passed the House today as part of the broader Honoring our PACT Act. The bill will formally recognize that those who served near open-air burn pits in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places were exposed to airborne hazards and toxins.
"I've met too many Michigan veterans who have been fighting the VA for specialized care even as they battle the health effects of burn pit exposure, which I believe is our generation's Agent Orange. The Honoring our PACT Act is a landmark bill to address this problem in a comprehensive way." said Slotkin. "It's unacceptable that thousands of veterans are expected to jump through the legal hurdles of proving their exposure to the VA. I introduced the bipartisan Veterans Burn Pits Recognition Act to remove that burden, and I'm pleased to see it pass the House as part of this larger bill. By cutting this red-tape, we can remove a major obstacle to our veterans getting the care and support they've earned."
Right now, veterans are required by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prove their ailments were caused by burn-pit exposure, denying many critical health care and benefits. By formally recognizing the health impacts of burn-pits, this legislation will remove the burden of proof from our men and women in uniform and require the VA to perform a medical examination to determine if exposure is linked to a veteran's particular ailment.
The Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act would:
- Eliminate the unreasonable burden on veterans to prove they were exposed to burn pits while serving on an installation where those practices were in use.
- Formally recognize and concede that veterans who served near burn pits were exposed to airborne hazards, toxins and particulate matters, potentially aiding thousands of veterans who otherwise do not have documentation of their exposure.
- Require the VA to conduct a full medical examination on veterans to determine a potential connection between an ailment and past toxic exposure.
- Work in acknowledgment of ongoing research being conducted by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
The bill has the support of several veteran advocacy groups including Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA) and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Original source can be found here.
