{"id":65291,"date":"2021-10-04T15:19:24","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T15:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/10\/04\/secva-says-hes-frustrated-over-slow-pace-of-burn-pit-benefits-in-interview-with-jon-stewart\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:44:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:44:03","slug":"secva-says-hes-frustrated-over-slow-pace-of-burn-pit-benefits-in-interview-with-jon-stewart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2021\/10\/04\/secva-says-hes-frustrated-over-slow-pace-of-burn-pit-benefits-in-interview-with-jon-stewart\/","title":{"rendered":"In interview with Jon Stewart, Veterans Affairs chief says he\u2019s \u2018frustrated\u2019 over slow pace of burn pit benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough said he is \u201cfrustrated\u201d by his department\u2019s slow pace of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2021\/08\/02\/for-first-time-some-burn-pit-victims-will-get-presumptive-status-for-disability-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\">expanding benefits for military burn pit victims <\/a>but insists that federal rules limit his ability to move quicker on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an interview on <a href=\"https:\/\/tv.apple.com\/us\/show\/the-problem-with-jon-stewart\/umc.cmc.4fcexvzqezr25p9weks6sxpob\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cThe Problem with Jon Stewart\u201d <\/a>hosted by comedian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/09\/15\/jon-stewart-leads-renewed-fight-on-benefits-for-burn-pit-victims\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jon Stewart<\/a>, McDonough said he wants to expand the list of burn-pit-related illnesses eligible for presumptive benefits soon, but is facing internal obstacles to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe biggest hurdle is establishing a scientific link, and I will be damned if I don\u2019t establish that,\u201d he said. \u201cWe do operate within the context of a series of requirements, and we have not yet been able to meet the requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/09\/15\/jon-stewart-leads-renewed-fight-on-benefits-for-burn-pit-victims\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"265\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/BurnPits2.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Jon Stewart leads renewed fight on benefits for burn pit victims<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">New legislation could provide a pathway to additional help and compensation for more than 3 million veterans who served overseas in recent decades.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August, VA officials announced for the first time that veterans suffering asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis who were exposed to toxic smoke while serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other recent conflict locations will be granted presumptive benefit status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That allows them to more quickly receive medical and financial assistance from the department, without having to prove specific injury details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Veterans groups have called the action a small first step in helping the estimated 3.5 million exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits during overseas deployments over the last 20 years. But they have also emphasized that the department needs to move quicker to recognize rare cancers and other illnesses caused by the toxic exposures, to assist veterans suffering now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stewart has been a vocal champion of the issue in recent years, appearing at multiple Capitol Hill rallies alongside veterans advocates to push for legislation to speed up the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He dedicated the first episode of his new show to the topic, featuring interviews with veterans suffering from the health effects of their deployments and the sit-down in McDonough\u2019s office to push for a quicker response from VA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom what I\u2019ve seen, [researchers] have done a ton of National Academy of Science studies, and people waive those all the time and say that no links have been established [between burn pits and vet\u2019s illnesses],\u201d Stewart told McDonough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut unfortunately, those studies all say there is insufficient data, and that data is not going to be getting any better because it\u2019s provided by the Defense Department. And if it\u2019s insufficient in 2008, it\u2019s going to be insufficient in 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers have proposed legislation to get around those federal rules and award benefits to burn pit victims quicker. Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., and ranking member Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, spoke with Stewart on a podcast accompanying the episode and said they are still hopeful that work can be completed soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/08\/02\/for-first-time-some-burn-pit-victims-will-get-presumptive-status-for-disability-benefits\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/201595.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">For first time, some burn pit victims will get presumptive status for disability benefits<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">An estimated 3.5 million veterans suffered some burn pit exposure overseas during deployments in the last 20 years.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think the science is very important, but I think that the review of some of these problems sometimes takes a lot longer than anybody is comfortable with,\u201d Tester said. \u201cWe need to continue to push the agency and we need to continue to push the people who are doing the research to get it done in a timely way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two senators said the biggest stumbling block for the bill now is getting a potential cost estimate from VA, so lawmakers can adequately budget for a flood of new cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stewart\u2019s show is the latest push from advocates in recent months to emphasize the long-term problem from burn pits outside the military community, in the hopes of making meaningful reforms this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tester said he thinks that is possible, but vowed to continue the legislative push in 2022 if need be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I believe <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SecVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SecVetAffairs<\/a> is trying to bring health care to vets sickened by toxic exposure but this exchange encapsulates why we can&#39;t wait for <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DeptVetAffairs<\/a> to act. We need legislation this year. It exists, Congress just needs to act. Tell them here: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9ujeC5Xrvg\">https:\/\/t.co\/9ujeC5Xrvg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oamOQ58pKa\">https:\/\/t.co\/oamOQ58pKa<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Jeremy Butler (@JeremyButler01) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JeremyButler01\/status\/1444689829984362500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 3, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About 3.5 million veterans are beleived to be suffering some ill effects from exposure to burn pit smoke in overseas combat zones since 2001.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":101061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-65291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"OGHYN4CXEREWFJS3NI2VUL2H24","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2021\/10\/04\/secva-says-hes-frustrated-over-slow-pace-of-burn-pit-benefits-in-interview-with-jon-stewart\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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