H.R. 4086 · 116th Congress
Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
BilirakisSponsor9 cosponsors · 5 D, 4 R
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make a determination, after receipt of a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) titled Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations, on whether a positive association exists between (1) the…
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jul 26, 2019
Protection for Veterans' Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make a determination, after receipt of a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) titled Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations, on whether a positive association exists between (1) the exposure of humans to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open air burn pits (areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other airborne hazards, and (2) the occurrence of a diagnosed illness in humans.
Upon determination of a positive association, the VA must prescribe regulations providing that (1) a presumption of service-connection is warranted for certain illnesses manifesting in certain time frames, and (2) covered veterans shall be presumed to have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals caused by open burn pits unless conclusive evidence proves otherwise. Covered veterans are veterans who were deployed on or after September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation and based at a location where an open burn pit was used.
If the VA determines a presumption of service-connection is not warranted, a notice must be published and include an explanation of the basis for the determination. The bill also requires the VA to remove previous presumptions if evidence indicates such presumption is not warranted.
The Department of Defense must provide NASEM with access to information it requests for the study on Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019
Latest action (Aug 22, 2019): Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 26, 2019
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.