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The Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act passed swimmingly through the House and Senate earlier this summer but now, 25 GOP senators voted against a House-modified version of the PACT Act. In response, military veterans say they will be staging a sit-in protest.
To illustrate the political divisiveness at the congressional level, the PACT Act passed at a clip of 342-88 in the House and 84-14 in the Senate. When the House returned and passed a version of the PACT Act that added 23 toxic and burn pit exposure conditions to the Veteran Affairs database, GOP senators are apparently uncomfortable with the changes. In addition, protections were extended to first responders who suffered from exposure during the 9/11 attacks.
As reported by The Hill, Burn Pits 360 Executive Director and co-founder Rosie Torres balked at the reversal of votes and expressed disappointment in the position change from the GOP senate pool.
“We got punched in the gut, right by those 25 senators that flipped their vote from yesterday,” Torres said to the outlet on Thursday (July 28). In response, Torres said that members of Burn Pits 360 will gather in peaceful protest with hopes that their disdain lands on the ears of the senators.
“They shouldn’t be here, and to know that we’re in that America where they’ve turned their backs on veterans and their families are sick and dying. It’s disgusting. But if this is what we have to do to get the bill passed, and at all costs, all measures, we’re going to get it done,” Torres added.
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