Today, I would like to talk to you about Staff Sgt. Wesley Black, John.

He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was exposed to toxic burn pits—giant, open air pits where trash was burned, creating noxious smoke that service members couldn't escape. After he retired, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He passed away on Sunday, leaving behind a wife and a young son. He was only 36 years old.

Staff Sgt. Wesley Black was one of millions of service members and veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits. Thousands of veterans are now sick and dying. 

When someone goes to war physically fit and healthy, gets exposed to toxic chemicals, and is now suffering with respiratory health problems or cancer, the connection is clear. But when they go to the VA to get the care they need, they are denied eight times out of ten—often over lack of evidence that their disease is service-related.

These veterans served our country with pride. They and their families shouldn't be forced to fight for the care they need.

This Veterans Day, we need to do more than just thank veterans for their service—we need to fight to get them the health care and benefits they have earned and deserve.

We need to pass my bill, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act, to clear these bureaucratic hurdles and guarantee coverage for every veteran exposed to toxic burn pits. If we can spend trillions of dollars on waging war, then we can certainly afford to take care of the veterans who served in it. 

I hope you’ll take a moment to read my op-ed about this legislation. We're already too late for Staff Sgt. Wesley Black. Congress needs to act now, before we fail more of our veterans.

Thank you,

Kirsten