Over 1.9 million US military personnel served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jason. I was one of them, and I want to share with you a bit about my experience in Iraq — and what makes Senate Republicans' actions last week so despicable.
After Democrats announced an agreement on addressing climate change and closing corporate tax loopholes, in a fit of rage, the GOP spitefully voted down the PACT Act — legislation that would provide health care benefits to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in the line of duty. Republicans disgraced themselves and dishonored the veterans they claim to support.
For the entirety of the Iraq War, the United States stationed personnel in 505 bases throughout the country. Every single one of our forward operating bases, or FOBs, had burn pits.
Soldiers were assigned to burn pit duty by their commanding officer, where they burned all of the FOB's waste, including plastics, electronics, batteries, and more hazardous materials, in open air pits. Most of the time, the only protection soldiers had was a bandana.
Many service members have since developed chronic respiratory illness and cancer. And they've had to fight the VA and Congress to receive the care they were promised.
The political stunt that Mitch McConnell and the Senate GOP pulled last week shouldn't surprise anyone. But we need to make them pay a political price.
Jason, if you agree, add your name to Dirt Road PAC's urgent petition demanding the Senate pass the PACT Act before the August recess and give our veterans the health care they were promised.
I won't just shrug my shoulders and give up because Republicans want to use veterans as political pawns. We owe it to each other to keep fighting. This legislation passed overwhelmingly before Republicans blocked it, and we can still make it law. But I need you with me today.
Thanks for raising your voice.
Onward,
Clay Middleton
Dirt Road PAC
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