The following congressional bills were introduced to improve the lives of military and veterans in regards of burn pits & other conditions associated to time served in Southwest Asia. Don’t forget to contact your elected officials if you believe any of these bills would positively affect your life and the lives of others.
H.R.4400 – Burn Pit Registry Expansion Act, introduced 9/7/2021, by Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36). The purpose of this bill is to add Egypt and Syria on the VA Burn Pit Registry. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4400?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22h.r.+4400%22%2C%22h.r.%22%2C%224400%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=2
H.R. 2601/S. 1188 – SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pits Transparency Act, introduced April 15, 2021, by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) & Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). This bill would require the annual reporting to Congress on reported burn pit cases. This report would include a comprehensive list of the conditions for which covered veterans seek treatment; the locations of the open burn pits from which the covered veterans were exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes; Identification of any illnesses relating to exposure to open burn pits that formed the basis for the Secretary to award benefits, total number of covered veterans who died after seeking care for an illness relating to exposure to an open burn pit. House bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2601?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22sfc+heath+robinson%22%2C%22sfc%22%2C%22heath%22%2C%22robinson%22%5D%7D&s=6&r=1 Senate bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1188?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22sfc+heath+robinson%22%2C%22sfc%22%2C%22heath%22%2C%22robinson%22%5D%7D&s=6&r=2
H.R. 4398 – Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act, introduced July 9, 2021, by Rep. Raul Ruiz. This bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to provide budget info for incinerators and waste-to-energy waste disposal alternatives to burn pits. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4398?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22h.r.+4398%22%2C%22h.r.%22%2C%224398%22%5D%7D&s=7&r=2
H.R. 4397 – Department of Defense Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act, introduced July 9, 2021, by Rep. Raul Ruiz. This bill would direct the Defense Secretary to provide medical providers of DoD mandatory training with respect to the potential health effects of burn pits. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4398?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%224398%22%2C%224398%22%5D%7D&s=8&r=1
H.R. 2436/S. 437 – Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 introduced April 8, 2021, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-8)/Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). This bill would amend title 38, United States Code, to concede exposure to airborne hazards and toxins from burn pits under certain circumstances. This concession include specific locations (to include Djibouti, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and Philippines), dates, and the specific toxic substances, chemicals and airborne hazards found in these locations. House bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2436?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%222436%22%2C%222436%22%5D%7D&s=9&r=2 Senate bill: S.437 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2021 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
H.R. 2433 – Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act, introduced April 8,2021, by Rep. Raul Ruiz. This bill would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take actions necessary to ensure that certain individuals may update the burn pit registry with a registered individual’s cause of death, and for other purposes. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/437?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22437%22%2C%22437%22%5D%7D&s=10&r=7
S. 952/H.R. 2372 – Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021, introduced March 24, 2021, by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) & Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36). This bill would amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a list of presumption service connections for certain diseases associated with exposure to toxins. It also specifies that medical conditions and includes that more conditions would be determined by National Academies. Senate bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/952?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22952%22%2C%22952%22%5D%7D&s=1&r=3 House bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2372?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%222372%22%2C%222372%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=11
H.R. 2432 – Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act, introduced April 8,2021 by Rep. Raul Ruiz. This bill would provide for the eligibility of certain individuals exposed to burn pits for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. It also adds burn pit veterans to priority group 6, which makes them eligible for low-cost health care and nursing care. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2432?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%222432%22%2C%222432%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=2