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Veteran advocates take cause to Capitol Hill

Coastal Bend Veteran's group, Burn Pits 360, continues to lobby for veterans who've been exposed to toxic fumes, particularly from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coastal Bend Veteran's group, Burn Pits 360, continues to lobby for veterans who've been exposed to toxic fumes, particularly from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They have taken their fight all the way to Congress, and they have a few well-known folks who've joined their cause.

The group is back home after a trip to Capitol Hill last month.

"I made a promise to my husband when he had his lung biopsy and we've gone through so much as a family, I never envisioned we would have Jon Stewart by our side to support us," said Rosie Torres, Executive Director of Burn Pits 360.

The Executive Director of Burn Pits 360, Rosie Torres, shared a picture with 3News of her recent trip to Washington, D.C. 

It's where Torres, along with advocates Jon Stewart and John Feal met with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

"A lot of different members of congress who he felt were such an important piece of the 9-11 work and new members of Congress who served in the military.  very informal, very private, just really wanted to get their take on how could they contribute moving the needle forward with the issue of burn pits," said Torres. 

Torres says it was important to get Stewart and Feal on board because both men recently lobbied on Capitol Hill to provide 911 responders with health care.

"Here we are a decade later and as we look at the work we were trying to accomplish, we realized that there was a blueprint that had already been put together by the 911 advocates," said Torres.

Stewart who is now working closely with Torres recently released a PSA about the cause.

"Just picture this, your house is right behind or in front of a ten-acre pit in the ground where they are burning everything collected here in the U.S.  Tires, humvees, amputated body parts, hazardous waste, medical waste, everything we segregate here in a safe way, you are living behind that, doused with jet fuel 24 hours a day, that is the reality of what this issue is," added Torres. 

The group is now working to introduce legislation that will focus on the ongoing health challenges and coverage for veterans that have been battling for over a decade.

"A bill that will address the presumptive for the lung diseases, and scientific monitoring program committee, that will oversee the period of the diseases as time progresses just like 911," added Torres. 

Torres says they have ways to go, but are inching closer.

"We all have a voice and if you feel you have an injustice your voice can change history."

Torres says she will return to Capitol Hill this month.

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