In Support of Bipartisan Burn Pit Amendments

Floor Speech

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Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of three amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act which include language from three of my bills, the Burn Pits Registry Enhancement Act, the Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act, and the Toxic Exposure Education for Servicemembers Act.

All three of these amendments are bipartisan here in the House as well as in the Senate. I thank my partners and friends here in the House, Republican Congressmen Wenstrup and Bilirakis.

Fighting to ensure our veterans get the care and benefits they have earned and deserve has always been, still is, and will always be a priority of mine.

Additionally, all three of these amendments are endorsed by the major veterans service organizations, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and the Wounded Warrior Project. All three amendments will help care for servicemembers exposed to toxic burn pits.

Amendment 460 is my Burn Pits Registry Enhancement Act. It would allow veterans in the burn pit registry to designate someone to update the registry with their cause of death. This data is crucial to further identify the vast array of illnesses that are causing burn pit-exposed servicemembers and veterans to die, and it will help doctors recognize early symptoms of life-threatening conditions and save lives.

The next amendment, 464, is my Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act. It would require the Department of Defense to submit a report to Congress on what the cost would be to get rid of the use of burn pits. This amendment will get us one step closer to ending the use of dangerous and toxic burn pits to prevent illness.

Finally, amendment 503 is my Toxic Exposure Education for Servicemembers Act. It would require the Department of Defense to establish a new risk assessment for toxic exposure for servicemembers who are assigned to work near toxic burn pits. This amendment would also require the Department of Defense to establish an outreach program to inform servicemembers about the harms associated with working near toxic exposures.

These three amendments all aim to save lives and help prevent exposure to toxic burn pits. They do this by requesting the collection of data in the hopes of catching associated illnesses and conditions faster, educating our servicemembers on the harms associated with them, and forging a path forward to end their use.

I have fought for years to bring attention to this issue and its devastating toll on our Nation's servicemembers and their families. Time and time again, I have come before this body to tell the stories of those whose lives were devastated and forever changed by burn pits.

I have told the story of Jennifer Kepner, an Air Force veteran from Cathedral City in my district. Jennifer was an otherwise healthy mother of two who lost her courageous battle with pancreatic cancer likely caused by her exposure to burn pits during her military service.

I have told the story of Alejandro Camacho, from Palm Desert, who developed testicular cancer from the toxic fumes, particulate matter, and carcinogens he breathed in every day during his service in Iraq.

Their stories shed light on the obstacles that veterans across the country have faced and continue to face to get the care and benefits they earned and deserve.

It is for Jennifer, Alejandro, and the millions of other veterans suffering from their burn pit exposures that I founded the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Burn Pits Caucus.

It is our duty to take care of our veterans who sustained injuries and illnesses while they were fighting for our country.

I am encouraged by the steps we have taken to address how we take care of our servicemembers and veterans suffering from toxic exposures.

The historic passage of the Honoring our PACT Act, led by Ranking Member Takano, will provide generational change, giving care and support to veterans and their families suffering from illness due to their toxic exposure.

The foundation of the bill was built upon my bill, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act, which removes the burden from veterans to prove that 23 illnesses or conditions, including various cancers that they are suffering from, are due to their service near burn pits.

However, there is more to do to prevent toxic exposures from happening, and I will not stop fighting until our servicemembers are safe.

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