Klobuchar has successfully led several bills that became law to improve medical care and benefits for veterans and servicemembers exposed to toxic substances
November 12, 2021 - WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) issued the statement below following the Biden administration’s announcement that it will take a series of actions 
to support veterans and servicemembers potentially exposed to toxic substances:
“When we ask our young men and women to defend our nation, we make a promise to be there for them when they return home. That is why I have fought for years to ensure our veterans and servicemembers exposed to burn pits receive the care and benefits they need. Today the Biden administration announced that it will take important steps to address the health effects of exposures to toxic substances, including establishing a network of specialized health care providers, creating a call center for veterans, and assisting the VA in providing timely care for veterans and servicemembers who are experiencing symptoms. This will build on my bipartisan bill with Senator Thom Tillis to create a VA center to focus on treating individuals exposed to burn pits, which became law in September 2018 as the first major federal action on this issue. This announcement marks important progress in getting our veterans and servicemembers the care they’ve earned and I will continue to work to move these efforts forward.”
Klobuchar has been a leader in advocating for veterans and servicemembers exposed to toxic substances.
In April, she and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced bipartisan legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide health care personnel with improved education and training to identify, treat, and assess the impact of illnesses related to exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. The administration’s announcement includes similar directives to the VA to provide training for all claims processors, share information related to military exposures, and host a series of Q&A sessions related to implementation of the new presumptive disabilities that were implemented this summer.
In March, alongside Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Klobuchar reintroduced the Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Act, bipartisan legislation that would reform and improve how veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA.
In January 2021, a provision based on the bipartisan Pandemic Care for Burn Pits Exposure Act led by Klobuchar and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The provision improves the care that veterans who were previously exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances receive during the coronavirus pandemic. By requiring medical professionals to ask whether veterans who test positive for a virus designated by the federal government as a pandemic if they were previously exposed to burn pits, this provision will help ensure that they receive proper care and attention to their medical needs.
In December 2019, Klobuchar’s bipartisan Burn Pits Accountability Act with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Burn Pits Accountability Act requires members of the Armed Forces to be evaluated for exposure to toxic airborne chemicals during routine health exams and directs the Secretary of Defense to record and share whether servicemembers were based or stationed near an open burn pit, including any information recorded as part of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, the Periodic Health Assessment (PHAs), Separation History and Physical Examination (SHPEs), and Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHAs). Members will also be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, unless they choose to opt out, if they were exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or stationed near an open burn pit.
In September 2018, provisions based on the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act led by Klobuchar and Tillis was signed into law as part of the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, and created the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence within the VA focused on researching the health effects associated with burn pits and treating veterans who become sick after exposure.
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar
