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H.R. 4086: Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019

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H.R. 4086: Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-07-26 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-07-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019

Plain summary

Protection for Veterans' Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make a determination, after receipt of a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) titled Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations, on whether a positive association exists between (1) the exposure of humans to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open air burn pits (areas used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment) and other airborne hazards, and (2) the occurrence of a diagnosed illness in humans. Upon determination of a positive association, the VA must prescribe regulations providing that (1) a presumption of service-connection is warranted for certain illnesses manifesting in certain time frames, and (2) covered veterans shall be presumed to have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals caused by open burn pits unless conclusive evidence proves otherwise. Covered veterans are veterans who were deployed on or after September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation and based at a location where an open burn pit was used. If the VA determines a presumption of service-connection is not warranted, a notice must be published and include an explanation of the basis for the determination. The bill also requires the VA to remove previous presumptions if evidence indicates such presumption is not warranted. The Department of Defense must provide NASEM with access to information it requests for the study on Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations .

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protection for Veterans’ Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jim Banks (R-IN), Andy Barr (R-KY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] reported raising $2.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr4086 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116