Jon Stewart on Capitol Hill pushing for legislation that would help veterans sick from burn pits get care

The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020, introduced by @RepRaulRuizMD in the House. He has made burn pits a signature issue. And @SenGillibrand in the Senate.

In short, VA GENERALLY SPEAKING doesn't accept burn pits as a legit injury of war, and provides little to no care or compensation for it.

Burn pits have been called my generation's Agent Orange. Pits could be huge multi-kilometer long trash heaps at large bases with 30,000 soldiers constantly breathing in burning paint, jet fuel, trash and medical waste.

Problem with a so-called "burn bit registry." Is there are a lot of small pits. Take me for example, was at a small outpost in the Afghanistan mountains. There's no proof I can access we were even there. We burned all the garbage and our feces.

Veterans who were otherwise healthy are getting respiratory issues and cancers at a young age. But can't "prove" it was due to burn pits - like a smoker can't technically prove cigarettes gave them lung issues.

So this bill would give presumptive care and disability to vets who can prove they served in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa after Aug 2, 1990.

Stewart, like he did with care for the 9/11 first responders, says he will be deploying a lobbying army to DC, and meet with every single member of Congress to get them on the record about this issue. He expects a long legislative fight.

At the least, this has been an issue the military press has been covering for years. You'll start seeing it creep into the mainstream press. And I would bet the coming decades, this could very well get the Agent Orange treatment in terms of perception, complications, and media.

Joe Biden's son, Beau, who died from brain cancer, was also exposed to burn pits. Some folks working on this I've talked to think a President Joe Biden could help give the burn pit issue momentum.