Sinema is an original co-sponsor of the Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act, which passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee secured unanimous passage of their Health Care For Burn Pit Veterans Act – bipartisan legislation expanding VA health care eligibility for veterans exposed to toxic substances.
“Arizona veterans exposed to harmful toxic substances deserve access to VA health care. I’m glad the Senate came together to fulfill our responsibility to provide care for our veterans,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Sinema partnered with Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to introduce the Health Care For Burn Pit Veterans Act earlier this month.
At least 1 million of the 3.5 million post-9/11 combat veterans potentially exposed to toxic substances are unable to access VA care – Sinema’s legislation would correct this harm.
Sinema’s bipartisan Health Care For Burn Pit Veterans Act expands VA health care eligibility by increasing the period of eligibility for VA health care for post-9/11 combat veterans from five to 10 years after being discharged. The bipartisan legislation additionally creates a one-year open enrollment period for post-9/11 combat veterans who did not enroll during their initial five years after being discharged.
Now that it has passed the Senate, the bipartisan legislation heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.