A bill that would have expanded medical coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits failed to pass in the U.S. Senate on Thursday when 25 Republicans unexpectedly voted no, NBC News reports.
Veterans of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan claim to have developed conditions like asthma and cancer following their exposure to toxic burn pits; however, over 70% of related disability claims are denied by Veterans Affairs, according to NBC News. The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act—or, the PACT Act—would have helped resolve this issue for the estimated 3.5 million veterans affected, NBC News reports. The PACT Act had previously passed in the Senate in June, and was expected to easily pass in its second round in the Senate after House revisions.
