Protesters spent Sunday night on the steps of the U.S capital as a bill that expands health care benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other harmful chemicals remains locked in Congress.
It is named after Ohio veteran Heath Robinson. Robinson served in Iraq with the Ohio Army National Guard. Robinson passed away from stage four lung cancer in 2020 from exposure to burn pits.
Susan Zeier, Robinson’s mother-in-law, camped outside the capital building with other protesters awaiting passage of the bill. Zeier reposted a video of herself on Twitter Sunday night from advocate Davig Hogg, who met with veterans and their families.
“There's nothing in it for us," Zeier said. "I just want, and what Heath wanted, we don’t want to see any other families suffer like we did.”
Susan Zeier (@SusanZeier) Son-in-law Heath Robinson is the name sake of the PACT Act pic.twitter.com/JEMz7SDfmZ
— David Hogg ☮️ (@davidhogg111) August 1, 2022
Zeier said the group was told that a cloture vote may happen tomorrow. The plan is to stay for as long as it takes.
"Yeah, we're standing out here we want the senators to know they shouldn't be going home for the summer break until they get this thing done," Zeier said.
If the bill passes, Zeier adds that she and her daughter will be in attendance when president Joe Biden signs the bill.
The Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act passed in June with support from both parties, but a technical error required a re-vote. Last Wednesday, 25 republicans changed their vote.
