Burn pit legislation passes U.S. Senate, moves to House with Midstate ties

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — State U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D) recently co-sponsored Senator Jon Tester’s Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act and the bill passed the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 16.

The development comes months after Casey learned of Midstate solider Scott Laird’s death.

“The United States Senate took action, and this was by consent meaning it didn’t even require a vote,” said Senator Casey.

The bill still needs to pass the U.S. House but if it does, it would offer VA health care to every post-9/11 combat veteran, including those exposed to burn pits. It also includes a handful of provisions to ensure VA is doing a better job to screen for these veterans and to ensure its staff is better trained on toxic issues. It’s estimated approximately 3.5 million Post-9/11 combat veterans may have experienced some level of exposure to burn pits during their service.

Highlights of the bill include:

• 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.

abc27 reached out to the VA, but it did not have a comment at the time.