U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) led a bipartisan call on Wednesday for the Pentagon to support research on burn pit exposure that more than 100,000 service members encountered in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a letter to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Tillis and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called for research on burn pit exposure to be included in the fiscal year 2018 Congressionally Directed Medical Programs. The senators also called on committee leaders to provide robust funding to support burn pit exposure research and treatment.
“More than 100,000 military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have signed up for the VA’ s burn pit exposure registry,” the letter states. “These veterans were exposed to a variety of potentially harmful substances that the smoke produced from the burning of waste on military bases. Plastic, aerosol cans, electronic equipment, human waste, tires and batteries were thrown into open pits, often doused with jet fuel, and set on fire. As a result, many deployed servicemembers were exposed to smoke from these open-air burn pits.”
Cancer, neurological effects, reproductive effects, respiratory toxicity and cardiovascular toxicity are among the conditions linked to burn pit exposure. Additionally, there are higher rates of asthma, emphysema and rare lung disorders among troops stationed near areas with burn pits.
As a result, Tillis and Klobuchar previously introduced the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act. The measure would establish a center for excellence within the Department of Veterans Affairs to help address those medical conditions.
“In addition to creating a center of excellence, more research and treatment options should be developed through the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program,” the letter states. “We respectfully request that burn pit exposure be included as a congressionally directed topic area and that robust funding in the FY 2018 defense appropriations bill is provided to fund research on burn pit exposure and related illnesses.”