Summary of Bill S 2078
The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act, also known as Bill 118 s 2078, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress. The purpose of this bill is to enhance the existing Burn Pit Registry, which was created to track and monitor the health effects of exposure to burn pits on military personnel and veterans.
The Burn Pit Registry was established in 2013 to collect information from service members and veterans who may have been exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals from burn pits during their deployments. These burn pits were used to dispose of waste materials, including plastics, chemicals, and other hazardous materials, and have been linked to a variety of health issues, including respiratory problems, cancer, and neurological disorders.
The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act seeks to improve the effectiveness of the registry by requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to periodically update and maintain the registry, as well as to provide regular reports to Congress on the health outcomes of individuals listed in the registry. Additionally, the bill aims to expand the scope of the registry to include information on the locations and types of burn pits that individuals were exposed to, as well as any potential health effects they may have experienced as a result.
Overall, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act is designed to ensure that the government has accurate and up-to-date information on the health effects of burn pit exposure, in order to better serve and support the needs of military personnel and veterans who may have been affected.
Congressional Summary of S 2078
Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act
This bill authorizes specified individuals to update the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry with the cause of death of a registered individual. The Department of Veterans Affairs established the burn pit registry to allow certain veterans and service members to document their exposures and report health concerns. The registry is for individuals who may have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits (areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) while deployed in certain locations (e.g., Afghanistan or Iraq).
Specifically, the bill authorizes a designee of a registered individual or an immediate family member to update the registry with the cause of death of the individual.