The Senate voted 86-11 on Tuesday to pass a bill that expands benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances from burning trash pits.
The measure now heads to President Biden's desk for his signature. Biden has said the bill "makes good on our sacred obligation" to take care of veterans and their families.
Waste — including chemicals and plastics and tires — was routinely burned on U.S. bases in Afghanistan and Iraq. The legislation now requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to presume that some illnesses are linked to vets having been exposed to toxic burn pits while on duty. The New York Times reports that this is the largest expansion of veterans' benefits since 1991's Agent Orange Act, which increased access to care for Vietnam War vets who had been exposed to the herbicide.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Last week, several Republican senators blocked the measure, earning the ire of veteran groups and comedian Jon Stewart, a longtime advocate of expanding health care for veterans and first responders. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said after Tuesday's vote that these organizations and Stewart put a well-deserved spotlight on the bill. "That's who really did it, that's who elevated it," he added.
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Patrick Hemingway: The Hemingway son who tended to his father’s legacyFeature He was comfortable in the shadow of his famous father, Ernest Hemingway
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government buildingSpeed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to USSpeed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU officesSpeed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping missionSpeed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peaceSpeed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest warSpeed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
