On April 8, U.S. Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), the newest member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Peter Meijer (R-Grand Rapids), a U.S. Army Reserve veteran who served in Iraq, introduced the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act, a bill to help address the specific needs of veterans exposed to open-air toxic burn pits while serving in the Armed Forces.
The legislation is supported by a number of 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.
H.R. 2436, 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.
