Sunday, July 31, 2022

Protests

Senate Republicans again stabbed veterans in the back last week when they refused to support a bill that passed the House which would address needed coverage for veterans who were exposed to burn pits while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  


Iraq War veteran Lucas Kunce writes about it at FOX NEWS:

I’m a Marine who was exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq. Republicans have turned their backs on veterans like me.  

On Thursday, 41 Republicans in Washington blocked a bill that would have "expanded medical coverage for millions of combatants exposed to toxic burn pits during their service." On Thursday, 41 Republicans in Washington made it clear that they don’t give a d*mn about veterans. 

This is personal for me. It was 2009. I was stationed at the Al Taqaddum Airbase where I was a Marine Captain leading a police training team.

Twelve Marines and a Navy Corpsman. Running missions through Habbaniyah, Fallujah, and Ramadi. It was my first of three tours of duty during the War on Terror. And from our camp, the base’s burn pit loomed over us. 

Smoke columns filled the sky and blew through our living space. We ran through it, joking about how we should be doing gas mask runs. For three months that pit bathed us in toxic fumes. We accepted it and focused on our duty. 

For me, that was planning our routes and pouring over intel to avoid the immediate danger: IEDs on all the convoys and missions we were running outside the wire. I was so proud to bring every member of that team home safely. 

Or so I thought. Because, as it turns out, we couldn’t protect ourselves from our own country. 


CNN offers a video report on the protest in DC and speaks with Iraq War veteran Ashley Carothers.



Burnpit 360 has been part of the protest demanding the Senate pass the PACT ACT.   VA Secretary Denis McDonough Tweets:

Veterans got sick while fighting for our country—now, it's our job to fight for them. The Senate must pass the PACT Act now, so VA can give toxic-exposed Vets the health care they need and the benefits they deserve. We cannot afford to wait. #PassthePactAct
9:37 AM · Jul 31, 2022


US President Joe Biden had planned to visit the veterans protesting before he ended up with COVID again.  Instead, he sent them some pizza.   Leo Shane III (MILITARY TIMES) reports:


Plans called for an around-the-clock fire watch of advocates at the Capitol to last until Monday afternoon, when the Senate is again scheduled to vote on the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, better known as the PACT Act. The goal was to emphasize — throughout the weekend — the importance of action on the issue, even if no lawmakers were present to see it.


Iraq War veteran and Senate Transportation Secretary Pete Buttiegig Tweeted:


Can’t believe we even have to say this, but: if you just went to the Senate floor and blocked benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits while serving our country in a war zone, you are wrong.
6:49 PM · Jul 28, 2022


NEWS9 -- link also has video -- notes:

Some veterans spent their weekend protesting in Washington D.C.

They're upset with Republican lawmakers who reversed positions on legislation to expand benefits for an estimated 3.5 million vets exposed to toxic burn pits in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, 9/11 veterans, what we all have in common today and we just got screwed by 41 senators," said Tom Porter, Afghanistan veteran.




The following sites updated:




  

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