TWINSBURG, Ohio — For veterans across the country, and here in Northeast Ohio, the last three days have felt like a punch in the gut.
Tim Hauser is a veteran. After fighting in Operation Desert Storm, he is now fighting at a rally in Twinsburg for the PACT Act. The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, named after an Ohio solider who died in 2020 from a rare form of lung cancer after serving in Kosovo and Iraq in the early 2000s, would help veterans exposed to toxic chemicals, such as burn pits.
Hauser says while the burn pits are banned in the United States, they were not prohibited overseas. "They start out as football fields, but some end up being ten football fields in length," he explains.
Open-air burn pits were common at U.S. military bases during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These burn pit often times contained chemicals, paint, toxic and human waste. Comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart fought for first responders from 9/11 who were exposed to asbestos and other cancer causing chemicals. He says this bill was a done deal, until 25 Senate Republicans flipped their vote on Thursday.
The final vote was 55-42 in favor, but it needed 60 votes to invoke cloture and end debate.
"In the meantime, every minute of delay is a minute that a veteran who fought for this country and their families and their caregivers suffer and die. We've lost people through this fight," Stewart said after the vote.
Some Republicans in the Senate say they voted to block the PACT Act because they have questions on how the $400 billion would be spent. Others said they refused to invoke cloture because Democrats would not allow GOP amendments to be included.
3News reached out to U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's (R-OH) office. A spokesperson told us, "Rob voted for the PACT Act last month and supports helping veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals while serving our country. He will vote for it again when it comes up for a final passage vote."
Back in Twinsburg, Hauser says some of fellow comrades are in desperate need for benefits. He says this bill is there only hope.
"It means fellow veterans aren't getting their health care that they earned, that they government promised them when they served," Hauser added.
Previous Reporting: