Blunt, Hawley vote to stall bill expanding health care for veterans exposed to burn pits

Missouri's U.S. senators were among 41 Republicans who voted Wednesday to block legislation expanding health care for military veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley joined 39 of their party colleagues in preventing the PACT Act from advancing, an unexpected speedbump that angered Democrats and activists. The bill would make it easier for veterans made ill by burn pits used to incinerate waste in Iraq and Afghanistan to access health care benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The bill, which received earlier bipartisan support in the chamber, now hangs in limbo. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat and chair of the Veterans Affairs committee, wrote on Twitter that the Republicans "turned their backs on our nation's veterans and robbed them their hard-earned care and benefits."

"This is a slap in the face of every member of our all-volunteer military," Tester wrote.

Democrats accused Republicans of voting to oppose the bill in retaliation for a Democratic deal allowing the party to move ahead on a significant spending deal that includes money for climate, health care and economic provisions, The Washington Post reported. Republicans dispute that argument, saying they don't like a portion of the bill dealing with spending. The legislation is projected to cost $280 billion over a decade.

"Sen. Hawley supports strong measures to protect our veterans suffering from toxic exposure," a spokesperson said Friday. "While negotiations over the PACT Act are still ongoing, Sen. Hawley plans to vote for final passage of the legislation once details are final."

"I continue to support the PACT Act," Blunt said in a statement Friday. "I am hopeful an agreement can be reached quickly to allow a fair amendment process so we can get this bill to the president's desk."

Jon Stewart, Lucas Kunce weigh in on the blocked burn pit bill

Jon Stewart, the former host of The Daily Show who has been a leading advocate for legislation focused on veterans, lambasted Republicans after they voted to block the bill from advancing.

"Congratulations (U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican) you successfully used the Byzantine Senate rules to keep sick veterans suffering!!!!" he wrote. "Kudos! I'm sure you'll celebrate by kicking a dog or punching a baby...or whatever terrible people do for fun!"

Lucas Kunce, a U.S. Marine veteran and one of the top Democratic candidates in the U.S. Senate race to succeed the retiring Blunt, said he "lived near an open-air burn pit" while stationed in Iraq.

"To the Republicans who decided to screw veterans like me today... f--- you. F--- every last one of you," he wrote on Twitter.

"I'd like to see Josh Hawley and Roy Blunt sleep next to this for months before their next vote on healthcare for veterans," he added, including a photo of the burn pit near his station.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri Sens. Josh Hawley, Roy Blunt vote against burn pit bill