Providing for Consideration of H.R. William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year Providing for Consideration of H.R. Child Care is Essential Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Child Care for Economic Recovery Act; and Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendments to H.R. Taxpayer First Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, as we stand here right now, our brave men and women overseas and our returning veterans continue to suffer the horrific health effects of their exposure to toxic burn pits.

Burn pits are fields where tons of waste like jet fuel, plastics, and medical waste were burned right next to military bases, exposing servicemembers to an array of toxic pollutants, particulate matter, and known carcinogens like dioxin.

For too long, servicemembers have inhaled black fumes from burn pits. To make matters worse, their symptoms, like subtle shortness of breath that progresses, headaches, or dry cough, have been dismissed.

As a physician, I know these symptoms can signal serious health conditions, like severe pulmonary diseases, chronic fibrosis, chronic bronchiolitis, and others.

For years, the Department of Defense has been dismissing the serious health effects of burn pits, hiding behind promises about ``ongoing studies.'' Promises about studies are not enough. It is time to act.

Our heroes cannot afford to wait. That is why we must pass four of my bipartisan bills included as amendments to the NDAA.

First, H.R. 7596, the DOD Burn Pits Health Provider Training Act, will require DOD to implement mandatory training for all their medical providers on the potential health effects of exposure to open-air burn pits. No longer can we allow symptoms of burn pit exposure to be dismissed.

Second, H.R. 7597, the DOD Burn Pits Research Status Act, will require DOD to report to Congress on the status and timeline for completion of all ongoing studies conducted or funded by DOD related to the health effects of burn pits.

Third, H.R. 7598, the Post-Deployment Burn Pit Question Act, will require DOD to include a question about burn pit exposure in the post- deployment health assessment form to increase reporting of burn pit exposure.

Fourth, H.R. 7600, the Burn Pit Registry Expansion Act, will require DOD and VA to expand the burn pits registry to include Egypt and Syria.

In order to comprehensively address the military's use of burn pits, prevent exposure, and improve timely care for servicemembers, we must find alternatives to burn pits usage, educate military healthcare providers about the variety of illnesses due to toxic burn pit exposures, expand the burn pits registry, and understand gaps in scientific research.

Toxic burn pit exposure continues to threaten the health of servicemembers. Many servicemembers and veterans continue to become severely sick, permanently disabled, or die from respiratory failure, cancers, or autoimmune or other diseases due to toxic burn pits exposure. This is an urgent problem that must be addressed right now.

My 2020 burn pits bill package will help bring us closer to providing the attention that this DOD self-inflicted public health crisis requires: identify at-risk servicemembers and give them the timely care they need, and end the use of military toxic burn pits once and for all.

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