Senate flips again on veteran burn pit issue with passage of bill Tuesday night

The U.S. Senate passed a bill late Tuesday to expand health care coverage for veterans made sick by toxic burn pits.

The U.S. military disposed of waste on foreign bases with burn pits until the mid-2010s. The pits contained items like rubber, chemical waste, munitions and human waste. Veterans exposed to them have experienced rare cancers and respiratory illnesses.

The measure, already approved by the House of Representatives, passed 86-11 in the Senate, and President Joe Biden has said he looks forward to signing it. The bill had met opposition from Republicans in the Senate, who blocked it last week when it was resubmitted after a technical correction.

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