[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 10, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H10005-H10006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    END THE USE OF HARMFUL BURN PITS

  (Mr. RUIZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, many servicemembers and veterans across the 
country who have been exposed to military burn pits are becoming ill. 
Many are dying due to cancers and suffering from severe pulmonary and 
autoimmune diseases.
  We have the chance to end the use of harmful burn pits this week with 
my two amendments in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2020.
  Our military uses burn pits to eliminate dangerous waste, including 
chemicals, jet fuels, and batteries, which can emit toxic smoke 
containing carcinogens and particulate matter.
  In my district, we tragically lost to pancreatic cancer Jennifer 
Kepner, a 39-year-old Air Force veteran exposed to burn pits who left 
behind her husband and two young children.
  We must act now for veterans like Jennifer, for their families, and 
for everyone affected by burn pit exposure.
  My provisions in the NDAA require the Department of Defense to submit 
to Congress an implementation plan to end the use of burn pits and to 
inform Congress on all locations where burn pits were used.
  These amendments are an important step in the comprehensive plan to 
end the use of burn pits. We must do it now.

[[Page H10006]]

  

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