On the recordMarch 2, 2022
As we stand here right now, our servicemembers have returned home from the battlefield only to become delayed casualties of war due to their battlefield exposure to toxic burn pits. My constituents, Jennifer Kepner and Alejandro Camacho, both developed cancers from the burn pits' toxic smoke containing carcinogens they breathed day in and day out while serving our country. Jen Kepner died from pancreatic cancer, and Alejandro Camacho suffers from testicular cancer. Let me repeat that. They got sick because they were exposed to burn pits' toxic smoke while doing their duty for our country. To make matters worse, both Jennifer and Alejandro were turned down when applying for benefits because the VA said that there wasn't enough evidence to link their illness to their service. To not give our veterans the proper care and benefits they earned and rightly deserve is a dereliction of our Nation's duty. That is why I introduced the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act. It would create a presumption of service connection for 23 illnesses, including cancers related to service near burn pits, and it has been included in the Honoring our PACT Act. My bill is the very soul of the Honoring our PACT Act. It would take the burden off of our veterans to prove that they are sick as a result of their service by presuming the reason they were diagnosed with this illness is because of their service near burn pits.…
