Blog post

IAVA Joins Members of Congress in National Press Conference Calling for Action on Burn Pits in Iraq, Afghanistan
Posted by Michelle McCarthy on June 11 2009

On Thursday, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, joined members of Congress, veterans and their families in a press conference on Capitol Hill to address the concerns regarding burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

IAVA's Tom Tarantino at the National Press Conference.

The “Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Act” (H.R.2419), recently introduced by Rep. Tim Bishop (NY-1) and Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1), would establish a medical registry to help identify servicemembers exposed to toxins, and improve the care and benefits they receive. IAVA supports the bill, which would also limit the military’s use of burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“In Iraq and Afghanistan, we’ve heard time and again about troops falling ill after serving near burn pits. But toxic exposure in wartime service is not a new issue. Veterans of previous generations struggled for years to have conditions such as Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome recognized as service-connected. We cannot repeat this same pattern with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans,” said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. “Establishing a medical registry to document health conditions potentially related to burn pits is the first step to getting our veterans proper care. IAVA thanks Representatives Bishop, Shea-Porter and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) for their leadership on this important issue, and urges Congress to move swiftly to pass this legislation.”

Speakers at the conference included Rep. Tim Bishop (NY-1), sponsor of Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Prevention Act (H.R.2419) and lead cosponsor Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) as well as IAVA's Legislative Associate Tom Tarantino, Kerry Baker of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Dr. Shira Kramer, Epidemiology International, an expert on health risks associated with exposure to toxins in burn pits.

To learn more about IAVA's support for H.R. 2419, click here.