Washington, DC – Today, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), with Representative Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02), introduced the Burn Pit Program to Review Operations and Management of ILER System Efficacy Act, or the Burn Pit PROMISE Act. This bipartisan bill would direct an independent GAO study of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) program, which is intended to keep track of exposure incidents and enable notification of veterans of toxic exposure to ensure they can get the medical treatment they need from DOD or VA.
Despite the obvious promise of the program, the ILER program has run into several issues, raising early-warning signs of its efficacy. After a 15 year delay from the time its creation was ordered by then-President Bill Clinton in 1998, the program was finally stood up in 2013. Eight years since its founding, the program remains in its roll-out phase and veterans still can't access read-only copies of their records as required by law.
This bill would direct recurring biennial studies of the program through 2030, reporting the results of those studies to appropriate congressional committees that have jurisdiction to oversee the ILER program.
"An effective ILER program is crucial for all of our veterans, especially those struggling to access necessary care from the VA," said Rep. Sherrill. "We have a concerning track record when it comes to taking care of our veterans who laid their lives and bodies on the line and were exposed to toxins as a result. Whether it's nuclear exposure, exposure to Agent Orange, Gulf War Illness, or exposure to toxic burn pits -- for decades, too many of our veterans have had to scrap and fight to receive the care they need. This legislation will ensure that Congress is aggressive about overseeing the ILER program, so that we can keep the promises we've made to our veterans and their families."
"I am proud to be an advocate for veterans in New York and across our country who suffer from toxic exposure. Our servicemembers often put themselves in harm's way while serving their country abroad and they unquestionably deserve timely medical care and exposure data when they return home," said Rep. Garbarino. "The Burn Pit PROMISE Act will eliminate barriers and address root causes of the issues veterans face when trying to get medical care and data relating to their toxic exposure. This effort will allow Congress to provide greater oversight to ensure the VA is organized in monitoring and appropriately caring for veterans in the manner that was intended through the development of the ILER program."
"Understanding if a program is achieving its intent is an important part of any initiative. This is especially critical for the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) program," said Brittany Dymond, Associate Director of VFW's National Legislative Service. "As toxic exposure legislation continues to be the VFW's top priority, we praise Representative Sherrill's drive to ensure this program is working for service members and veterans, so that they may receive timely and appropriate healthcare for conditions arising from toxic exposures throughout their service."
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