WASHINGTON — The House unanimously approved a bill this week
to make the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry a more useful tool for
researching the health effects of toxic exposure on servicemembers and
veterans.
The House passed the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act on
Wednesday with a vote of 416-0. It would allow family members of deceased
servicemembers and veterans to enter cause of death in the registry. As of now,
only registered individuals are allowed to update their health information.
The change was recommended by veterans groups, including
Burn Pits 360, which has expressed concerns that the registry hasn’t been used
to his fullest potential.
“According to Burn Pits 360, without tracking [causes of
death] ... the registry’s ability to establish mortality rates related to
conditions and diseases associated to toxic exposure will be precluded,” said
Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., the ranking Republican on the House Committee on
Veterans’ Affairs.
Pits were used until 2010 at U.S. military bases in Iraq and
Afghanistan to burn trash, human waste, petroleum, rubber and other debris,
releasing hazardous fumes into the air. Some servicemembers exposed to the
smoke have attributed medical conditions, such as respiratory issues and
cancer, to it.
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