Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2433, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act. This bill is cosponsored by Congressmen Raul Ruiz from California and Brad Wenstrup from Ohio. Dr. Ruiz and Dr. Wenstrup are co-chairs of the House Burn Pit Caucus. I thank them for their work on this bill and continued advocacy on behalf of the veterans exposed to burn pits.

Many servicemembers and veterans are grappling with serious health conditions that they believe are the result of the burn pit exposures. That is why Congress required VA to create an Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry in 2013.

The registry was intended to provide a forum for servicemembers and veterans to document their burn pit exposures and health status so that the VA could better target research and outreach. The registry continues to be an important tool for veterans worried about burn pit and other toxic or environmental exposures.

Last Congress, two important stakeholders, Burn Pits 360 and VFW, recommended family members be allowed to update the registry in the event of the death of a servicemember or veteran listed on it. This would ensure that the registry contains a more complete picture of the possible effects of burn pit exposure. This bill would do that.

When a servicemember or a veteran listed in the registry passes away, it would allow an immediate family member to report their death and cause of death to the registry.

As ranking member, improving the care and benefits provided to veterans who have experienced toxic exposure continues to be one of my top priorities. There have been bipartisan bills introduced in the House and Senate this Congress. One of those bills is my bill, the TEAM Act.

And last week, VA announced some new initiatives aimed at improving the presumptive process for toxic-exposed veterans. I still have many outstanding questions about that announcement, and am concerned by the stalled legislative efforts of the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Toxic-exposed veterans are sick and dying. We cannot let burn pits, PFAS, or particulate matters become this generation's Agent Orange. We cannot fail to take proactive action on behalf of the future generations of warfighters.

I hope that we can soon come together in the House and the Senate in a bipartisan manner to take meaningful, fiscally responsible, and scientifically sound action to address toxic exposures. In the meantime, I am pleased to support this bill today, and hope it has the support of all of my colleagues.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source