Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Committee, issued the following statement today on the unanimous passage of the bipartisan Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act out of the VA Committee. Earlier this week, Senator Cramer joined VA Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS) in introducing the legislation, which offers post-9/11 combat veterans, including those suffering from conditions caused by toxic exposures, such as burn pits, access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care. This legislation will now go to the full Senate for consideration.
“Our history is defined by those who put their lives on the line to protect and defend the United States. We will never be able to adequately repay them for their sacrifices, but we can do our best to take care of them. Burn pits were used to incinerate all sorts of waste, hazardous material, and chemicals at military sites throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, exposing our service members to toxic substances. This bill will improve health care access for veterans exposed to the pits. The more combat veterans enrolled in this program, the earlier we can diagnose disease and prevent future illness,” said Senator Cramer. “With today’s Committee vote, this bill passed the first hurdle here in the Senate. I will work to get this bill across the finish line so our veterans and heroes can receive the care they need and deserve.”
Approximately 3.5 million post-9/11 combat veterans may have experienced some level of exposure to burn pits during their service, many of whom are living with undiagnosed illnesses linked to military toxic exposures, and nearly one-third of those veterans are currently unable to access Veterans Affairs care. Among its many provisions, the senators’ bipartisan Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act would:
- Expand the period of health care eligibility for combat veterans who served after September 11, 2001 from five years following discharge to ten years;
- Provide a one-year open enrollment period for any Post-9/11 combat veterans who are outside their 10-year window;
- Establish an outreach plan to contact veterans who did not enroll during their initial period of enhanced eligibility;
- Direct VA to incorporate a clinical screening regarding a veteran’s potential exposures and symptoms commonly associated with toxic substances;
- Mandate toxic exposure related education and training for healthcare and benefits personnel at VA; and
- Strengthen federal research on toxic exposures.
This bipartisan legislation is unanimously supported by the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which includes Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT.), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AR), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act also has strong backing from the nation’s leading veterans service organizations, including Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wounded Warrior Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, The American Legion, and Military Officers Association of America.