Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021
- Last Action
- 6/22/2021
Actions
- 2021-06-22Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- 2021-04-05Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2021-04-05Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2021-04-05Introduced in House
- 2021-04-05Introduced in House
CRS Summary
As of 2021-04-05 (00)
Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2021
This bill establishes a presumption of service-connection for specified diseases associated with exposure to burn pits (an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other toxins by veterans who were awarded specified medals on or after August 2, 1990. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
Under the bill, if the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) receives a written petition to add a disease to the list, the VA must request a determination by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with respect to whether there is a positive association between the exposure of humans to a covered toxin and the occurrence of the disease in humans.
The bill makes disability or death of certain employees from specified diseases compensable as a work injury. Specifically, such employees are those who were employees of the Department of State, the Department of Defense, or an element of the intelligence community on or after August 2, 1990, and carried out job responsibilities for at least 30 days during a contingency operation.
Cosponsors (20)
- Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
- Thomas Suozzi (D-NY)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
- Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)
- ELEANOR NORTON (D-DC)
- TIM RYAN (D-OH)
- Andy Levin (D-MI)
- Kaiali'i Kahele (D-HI)
- Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
- Michael Turner (R-OH)
- Robert Latta (R-OH)
- Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
- Joseph Morelle (D-NY)
- Tony Gonzales (R-TX)
- Haley Stevens (D-MI)
- Peter Meijer (R-MI)
- Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
- John Katko (R-NY)
- Brenda Lawrence (D-MI)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
Subjects
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Administrative remedies
- Afghanistan
- Air quality
- Asia
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Conflicts and wars
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Digestive and metabolic diseases
- Disability assistance
- Environmental health
- Fires
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
- Iraq
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.