[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 193 (Wednesday, November 3, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H6174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DO BETTER FOR VETERANS

  (Mr. WELCH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELCH. Madam Speaker, Vermonters have done their full measure of 
service throughout our history, and that is true in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. Two of our great soldiers, Sergeant Major Michael Cram and 
Brigadier General Michael Heston, both died of cancers that we believe 
were related to their exposures to burn pits.
  Their wonderful widows, Pat Cram and June Heston, have been so 
vigilant and energetic in putting a focus on the devastation of these 
burn pits and played a major role in encouraging the VA to, A, get a 
registry; B, the Defense Department to stop exposing people to burn 
pits; and then, C, to have us presume that those who have been exposed 
to burn pits and developed a disease as a result of that are entitled 
to VA benefits. We must get this done.

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