Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I rise this afternoon here on the Senate floor to mark what will soon be the passage, in just a matter of moments, of a vital veterans bill and to thank my colleagues--both Republicans and Democrats--who came together to support the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act. This is an important bill, and it will remove hurdles for post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, in particular, who were exposed to burn pits, so they can receive healthcare from the VA without delay.

This legislation is cosponsored by every single member of the Senate VA Committee, and I commend each of my Senate colleagues in their support for this legislation.

Supporting our veterans has a way of bringing us together, and I am so glad that is true. I am on the floor this afternoon with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, and I appreciate how he and my Senate colleagues understand the urgency of this bill and are quickly moving to pass it by unanimous consent.

Post-9/11 veterans are the newest generation of American heroes to suffer from toxic exposure encountered during military service; and passing this legislation marks just a first step--a first step--of a phased approach to solving the complex challenges of caring for those veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic exposures.

For way too long, we have heard from veterans who got sick after exposure to burn pits and need lifesaving care. There is a bipartisan consensus on our committee that this phased approach--delivering healthcare now and reforming the benefit system next--is the most effective pathway forward for toxic exposure veterans and all other veterans as well.

Servicemembers are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We know that. We respect that. We honor that. We must match that level of commitment by crafting thoughtful and effective solutions to make certain we hold up our end of the bargain and continuously work toward the best outcomes for those who served and sacrificed.

I once joined a roundtable in Wichita, KS, with local members of the Vietnam Veterans of America and was moved by their stories--not only of their own health consequences from Agent Orange but their concerns of how their exposure was affecting the health of their children and grandchildren. From that veteran feedback, I introduced the Toxic Exposure Research Act with Senator Blumenthal, which was signed into law in 2016.

I have since heard from many veterans in Kansas and across the country who are sick and dying from the effects of toxic exposure caused by burn pits. Addressing the needs of veterans exposed to burn pits cannot wait. This legislation could be lifesaving for those exposed or suffering. When our men and women in uniform go into harm's way on our behalf, we owe it to them to take care of them when they come home for whatever injuries are incurred during their service. This is not a question of resources; this is a question of getting reform done the right way.

The Senate soon will act to pass this bill, moving us closer to completing phase 1 of this approach to provide timely, sustainable care to our veterans. I will continue to work with veterans, advocates in the VA, and, importantly, my colleagues on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and its chairman, Senator Tester, of Montana, to make sure we are crafting legislative solutions that are veteran-centric.

I call upon my colleagues in the House to quickly take action and act on this bill and act on our promise as a nation so post-9/11 veterans who are suffering from toxic exposures can get the care they need.

I thank my colleagues on the committee, Chairman Tester, and our respective staffs for working to craft this feasible path forward. And I want to thank many veteran organizations that have expressed their support for this legislation, including the Disabled Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Wounded Warrior Project, Iraq and American Veterans of America, the American Legion, Military Officers Association of America, and Military-Veterans Advocacy.

I am confident that if we continue to work together with the VA and with veterans' groups, we will keep the needs of veterans foremost in our minds and that we can deliver meaningful reforms for the current generation of veterans and for all those who come thereafter.

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