WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWNY) – The U.S. Senate is expected to vote next week on legislation which could help north country veterans.
The legislation, championed by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, will make it easier for service members exposed to toxic ‘burn pits’ and who then got sick to claim Veterans Administration benefits.
The bill has already passed the House of Representatives once; after final votes, look for the legislation to be on President Biden’s desk to sign later this year.
Gillibrand’s bill makes a crucial change in how veterans qualify for burn pit benefits.
Right now, veterans have to prove their illness was a direct consequence of having been exposed to a specific burn pit.
Gillibrand’s legislation would only require the veteran to prove he or she was deployed to a country where burn pits were in use, and that they then got sick with a qualifying illness.
Burn pits were widely used by the U.S. military from the Gulf War on to dispose of toxic materials. Exposure to them has been linked to rare cancers, lung diseases, and respiratory illnesses.
“No longer will our veterans be forced to suffer as Congress fails to act. This bill will establish a presumptive service connection for toxic burn pit exposure and ensure veterans receive the care, not that they deserve, but that they’ve earned,” Gillibrand said in a statement.
“It’s time Congress understands that its obligation to our veterans doesn’t end once they finish their service–put simply, these benefits are the cost of war.”
It’s not clear how many veterans will be helped by the legislation.
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