WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) – the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) – today unveiled their bipartisan Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act—landmark legislation to offer Post-9/11 combat veterans, including those suffering from conditions caused by toxic exposures, such as burn pits, access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care.
“Post-9/11 veterans are the newest generation of American
heroes to suffer from toxic exposures encountered during military service,”
said Sen. Moran. “The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act is an important
first step to make certain our veterans receive the care they need as a result
of their service. I appreciate the entire Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
for working together to craft this consequential legislation to care for our
servicemembers who put their life and health on line for their country.”
“Today, we took a critical step in our bipartisan effort to
do right by all toxic-exposed veterans across the country with the introduction
of our Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act,” said Sen. Tester. “This landmark
bill will allow us to connect a generation of burn pit veterans with the care
they’ve earned, while moving the ball forward on addressing toxic exposure in
the comprehensive way our veterans deserve. Our work here is just beginning,
and together we will keep fighting to deliver quality care and benefits to the
men and women who stood in harm’s way to protect our country.”
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
VA 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.
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