Sweeping health and benefits changes could come soon for vets suffering toxic exposure ills April 28 A service member watches over a the burn pit in Al Anbar Province of Iraq in May 2007. (Cpl. Samuel D. Corum/Marine Corps) Lawmakers on Wednesday launched their latest effort to piece together comprehensive legislation on veterans’ toxic exposure illnesses with the goal of providing a clear path forward by the start of the summer. At a hearing on the issue before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., said he wanted to mark up the package “before Memorial Day” and promised a “bold” new approach to getting more medical care and benefits to veterans suffering from illnesses connected to burn pits, chemical exposure and other potential poisoning while on duty.