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The first congressional hearing was held on the Salton Sea since 1997, it was done virtually because of the pandemic.
Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D., (D) 36th Dist, has been pressing for this meeting to bring federal support to the ailing, accidental sea for years.
In a congressional hearing Thursday that starkly illuminated partisan divides, California Democrats called on the federal government to provide greater assistance in remedying environmental and public health crises at the Salton Sea. All but one GOP members were absent, and the one who did attend criticized the organizers for holding the hearing.
The United States is approaching nearly 20 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Global War on Terror and 30 years since the Gulf War. But the Department of Veterans Affairs is still denying close to 80% of all burn pit related claims veterans file.
A congressional hearing today about burn pits went up in flames for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A large portion of the VA's argument was clearly aimed at stonewalling efforts to pass new health care. Additionally, they claimed there was not enough science to link specific health issues to toxic exposure. If a Veteran could not prove emphatically that their illness was caused by burn pits, the VA would not treat them.
I am cautiously optimistic at the current pace of COVID-19 vaccine development and encouraged that a number of drug companies are seeing promising results. Current projections show that we may begin vaccinating the public by the end of this year or early 2021, but it will take hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to effectively curb this virus.
SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
After comedian Jon Stewart retired from television, his most prominent work was for Sept. 11 first responders, people who got sick after working in the wreckage of the World Trade Center. Now Stewart has joined a similar fight for war veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports.
Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart returned to Washington D.C., Tuesday to lobby Congress on behalf of veterans and the families impacted by burn pits.
Stewart compares the smoke from burn pits to the toxins released during 9/11. He is advocating for the passage of a new bill, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020.
What You Need To Know
Under a newly introduced bill in Congress, veterans ill from toxic exposures could have a new avenue for benefits.
Comedian and activist Jon Stewart, Capitol Hill lawmakers Rep. Raul Ruiz and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, former Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and other advocates including Burn Pits 360, announced the introduction of the legislation on Tuesday.
Lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday that would streamline the process for veterans to receive disability benefits for diseases that may be related to exposure to burn pits and other battlefield pollutants.
Veterans advocates on Tuesday launched a new campaign for additional recognition and aid for troops exposed to toxic burn pit fumes during overseas deployments at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, saying time is running out to provide real help to the victims.