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Funding approved for military burn pit research

An amendment passed the House allocating $1 million to study the effects of burn pit toxins.
Burn pits were used to destroy refuse at military camps.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Veterans suffering from burn pit exposure are one step closer to getting the health care they need.

Exposure to the burn pits, where the military burned waste like chemicals, ammunition, oil, anything they had to get rid of while in Iraq and Afghanistan, has caused devastating effects for tens of thousands of veterans, many of which signed the VA's burn pit registry.

READ HERE: Proposed treatment for veterans exposed to burn pits invented in Tampa Bay

After 10News revealed a possible treatment for veterans exposed to burn pits, lawmakers are finally taking action.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis drafted legislation to help get veterans dealing with burn pit exposure the care and coverage they need right away. That legislation is still pending, but just last week, Bilirakis cosponsored a bipartisan amendment that passed the House as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations package.

It allocates $1 million to study the effects of burn pit toxins.

While this is a win as money for research is key, immediate treatment for veterans is critical.

Bilirakis wants to give vets "presumptive status", meaning they don't have to wait for years of research, but would be eligible for care right away.

Possible Treatment

Since our original story in January about Dr. Randall Harrell, the Tampa Bay doctor who invented a possible treatment for burn pit exposure, Harrell has received numerous calls from vets and other physicians looking to learn more about the treatment.

You can contact his office to learn more about his unique regenerative lung medicine.

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