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Local reaction to Senate's failure to pass veterans toxic exposure bill

The senate was expected to pass the veterans toxic exposure bill.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Difficult news coming out of Washington Thursday for veterans, particularly those who worked in burn pits.

The senate was expected to pass the veterans toxic exposure bill. You may remember it was brought to national attention by comedian Jon Stewart.

The bill makes it easier for veterans to get access to health care and disability benefits after exposure to burn pits. But at the last minute, Senator Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania lobbied several senators to vote against it.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand had this strong reaction:

"This is the worst form of over politicizing I literally have ever seen. This is total BS. We had the votes. We had strong bipartisan support for this bill and at the 11th hour, Senator Toomey decides he wants to rewrite the bill, change the rules, and tank it. How he convinced 25 of his colleagues to change their vote, I have no idea. What the hell?"

2 On Your Side reached out to the CEO of the veterans one stop of Western New York to get his reaction to all this. He says he was completely caught off guard because he thought this was already a done deal.

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