New Hampshire's three Democrats on Capitol Hill are claiming various pieces of the $680 million defense policy bill that President Barack Obama signed into law yesterday.
Much is being made of what's not in the bill. It cuts some weapons projects that some lawmakers have spent years trying to kill, among them the Cold War-era F-22 fighter that critics have said is poorly suited for the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the state's Democrats in D.C. -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and Rep. Paul Hodes -- were quick to point out yesterday elements in the bill in which they had a part.
A significant piece in the bill is the elimination of so-called burn pits that have been used at military bases in our war zones to burn everything from medical waste (including human limbs) to garbage to fuels and other waste that produce noxious -- and some say -- potentially hazardous smoke.
Under the law championed by Shea-Porter and New York Congressman Tim Bishop open air burning of medical and hazardous waste will be prohibited except where the Defense Secretary deems there is no alternative. In addition, the Department of Defense has to justify the use of burn pits to Congress and develop a plan to eliminate the use of the pits altogether.
Related story:
Shea-Porter gets burn pit ban
Shaheen, meanwhile, praised inclusion of her suicide prevention and Yellow Ribbon Plus amendments designed to improve counseling and support services available to National Guard, Reservists and their families across the country.
The program was developed in the Granite State for the New Hampshire National Guard. It assigns a “care coordinator” to each Guard member and Reservist, and develops a personalized plan to ensure they are ready for deployment and are able to transition back to civilian life once they return from harm's way.
Hodes was the House sponsor of the Shaheen amendments.
“Our guardsmen and women and reservists deserve all the resources necessary to prevent these terrible tragedies,” said Congressman Hodes. “We have already witnessed the successes of this program in New Hampshire. Now we are spreading the benefits of this program to all fifty states, and National Guard members and Reservists across the country will have the support they need as we continue the fight to prevent suicides.”
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