Benishek Toxic Exposure Bill Surpasses 80 Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill Would Create VA Research Center

Washington, D.C.- Dr. Dan Benishek, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Veterans Health, recently introduced the bi-partisan, bi-cameral Toxic Research Exposure Act along with Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) and Sens. Moran (R-KS) and Blumenthal (D-CT). In the House of Representatives, the bill has now earned over 80 co-sponsors with strong representation of both parties.

“We owe it to our veterans and their loved ones to deliver answers about the effects of toxic chemicals to which they were exposed during their service,” said Dr. Benishek, who served as a surgeon at the VA for over 20 years. “I believe the broad, bi-partisan interest in this bill demonstrates the strong support for advancing this legislation.”

H.R. 1722, the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015, would create a Center of Excellence at the VA to investigate the effects of Toxic Exposure on veterans and their descendants. This bill was voted unanimously out of the Sub-Committee on Veterans Health and now awaits consideration before the full Veterans Committee.

Dr. Benishek spent 20 years as a VA doctor treating patients at the Iron Mountain VA facility. As Chairman of the Veterans Health Subcommittee, he played an integral role in creating and helping to pass the landmark reform legislation, leading many of the hearings that uncovered the VA’s incompetency. Dr. Benishek was also successful in getting a new law enacted based on an idea from a local veterans that provides Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) greater access to federal surplus property, such as spare vehicles and equipment, for use at their facilities.