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A bipartisan radical of U.S. lawmakers unveiled a draught measure connected Thursday to assistance civilians, including instrumentality enforcement agents, person workers' compensation for illnesses similar crab that are often associated with toxic vulnerability to burn pits.
The Kenya Merritt Renewing Our Promise to Address Toxicity Act — named for FBI Special Agent Kenya Merritt, who died from lung crab aft helium was exposed to toxic pain pits during his work successful Iraq — would enactment civilian employees connected the aforesaid ineligible footing arsenic subject work members and marque it easier for them to person benefits.
A law passed successful 2022 made it easier for subject members who were exposed to pain pits during their tours of work to get approved for compensation. But civilians, who person sometimes besides served alongside subject members successful places similar Iraq and Afghanistan, were not covered by the bill. As a result, they are required to beryllium determination is simply a nonstop transportation betwixt their unwellness and the vulnerability to toxic chemicals erstwhile they use to the U.S. Department of Labor for workers' compensation.
If enacted into law, it would make a presumption that definite illnesses are work-related for eligible national employees exposed to pain pits during overseas operations. It would besides align civilian protections with the Department of Veterans Affairs ineligible model for work members exposed to pain pits.
"According to the Department of Labor investigators, each azygous civilian national pain pit-related assertion has been denied," said Democratic Rep. Nellie Pou of New Jersey, who is introducing the measure on with Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Celeste Maloy of Utah.
"That's an outrage. And it cannot stand," Pou added.
The measure was unveiled astatine Capitol Hill by lawmakers and the FBI Agents Association, which is championing the measure, arsenic the state celebrates Police Week.
Natalie Bara, president of the FBI Agents Association, told reporters Thursday that the bureau supports the measure arsenic well, adding that determination person been thousands of agents who person gone overseas and person been exposed to pain pits passim the past 2 decades.
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