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u.s. news Diabierna 12 november 2021

Biden salutes troops as ‘spine of America’ on Veterans Day

(AP) — President Joe ing. There’s no scientific evi- suffering and to give veterans
Biden saluted the na- dence to establish that link. more time to make medical
tion’s military veterans as claims after symptoms such
“the spine of America” on This year’s Veterans Day as asthma and sinus problems
Thursday as he marked commemoration comes just develop.
his first Veterans Day as two months after Biden or-
president in a wreath-lay- dered the withdrawal of U.S. “We’re discovering there is
ing ceremony at Arlington troops from Afghanistan. a whole host of lung condi-
National Cemetery. It was a chaotic ending to tions related to deployment,”
America’s longest war, which said Dr. Richard Meehan,
“There’s nothing low risk or killed 2,461 American service an immunologist and rheu-
low cost about war for the members over the nearly 20- matologist. The retired U.S.
women and men who fight year conflict. Naval Reserve officer, who
it,” said Biden, whose ad- served in the Mideast during
ministration earlier in the day In his remarks at Arlington, the 1990s and again in 2008,
announced a federal effort to Biden praised generations is co-director of the Den-
better understand, identify who have served, declaring ver-based National Jewish to work there under civilian said. “That’s one of the prob-
and treat medical conditions they’ve “endured and sur- Health Center of Excellence federal workplace guidelines. lems overlooked in surveys
suffered by troops deployed vived challenges most Amer- on Deployment-Related The center receives fund- that have shown no higher
to toxic environments. icans will never know.” Lung Disease. ing from the Department of incidence of cancer.”
Defense, along with private
That expanded effort centers He also paused to remem- Beau Biden’s death was a de- donors. The new rules will allow vet-
on lung problems suffered by ber three high-profile veter- fining moment for Joe Biden, erans to make claims within
troops who breathe in toxins ans who recently died: Colin one he said affected his deci- Meehan has worried that 10 years of service, and the
and the potential connection Powell, the former chairman sion to sit out the 2016 presi- troops who came back with government has changed
between rare cancers and of the Joint Chiefs of Staff dential race. The younger breathing problems are being how it determines what
time spent overseas breath- and secretary of state; Gen. Biden deployed from Oc- compared with other Ameri- symptoms count and why.
ing poor air, according to the Ray Odierno, an Army chief tober 2008 until September cans to determine whether
White House. Federal offi- of staff and top general in 2009 as a captain in the Dela- there is a higher rate of lung The U.S. military has been
cials plan to start by examin- Iraq; and Sen. Max Cleland, ware Army National Guard. illness. But those deployed aware for years of health risks
ing lung and breathing prob- a Georgia Democrat who lost In 2013, he was diagnosed with the U.S. military are associated with open-air burn
lems but say they will expand three limbs while serving in with glioblastoma, and he in peak physical condition, pits. In 2013, federal investi-
the effort as science identifies Vietnam. died two years later at age 46. stronger and more fit than gators found a military camp
potential new connections. average Americans. To come in Afghanistan was operating
“You are the very spine of Meehan, who along with his back unable to make it up a pit for more than five years,
Biden’s son Beau served in America,” Biden said of the colleagues is investigating stairs without getting wind- nearly four times longer than
Iraq, and the president has nation’s veterans. the role of inhalation expo- ed or unable to lift anything Pentagon rules allowed. The
suggested a potential link be- sures among military person- without breathing heavily is Defense Department has
tween Beau’s death from an The new federal effort on nel who were deployed to highly unusual. said burn pits should be used
aggressive brain cancer and toxic exposure is designed to Southwest Asia, said it isn’t only as a temporary last re-
his exposure to toxins in the make it easier for veterans to only burn pits that are the is- “When you compare them sort when no other alterna-
air, particularly around mas- make claims based on their sue — the air quality in some to another group, you have tive trash disposal method is
sive pits where the military symptoms, to collect more countries is so poor that to compare them to another feasible.
disposes of waste by burn- data from troops who are troops would not be allowed healthy, fit group,” Meehan

Democrats sell infrastructure bill, push for Biden backup

(AP) — Traffic whizzing package passed last week ognize, just like President vids, facing tough reelection Capitol Hill are desperate
behind her, Rep. Sharice means $2.6 billion for Kansas Eisenhower did, that infra- fights, the public works bo- to follow the president, but
Davids gathered reporters roads — some of the largest structure is a key to long- nanza may be their ticket out we need him to lead and he
at a transportation facil- investments in them since term economic growth,” said of political peril — a potential needs to use that extraordi-
ity along U.S. 69 in east- President Dwight D. Eisen- Davids, who proudly de- boon with moderate and in- nary voice that he has,” Ma-
ern Kansas this week to hower, once a Kansan him- clared herself a “born-again dependent voters who turned loney said, recalling Biden
celebrate the surge of fed- self, supported the construc- transportation enthusiast.” against the party in last week’s channeling his working-class
eral money headed in her tion of the national highway elections in New Jersey and Pennsylvania roots on his
state’s direction. system in the 1950s. Davids is hardly the only Virginia and who will decide way to winning that state and
member of her party cel- races in most swing districts the presidency last year. “We
The massive infrastructure “I think that a lot of us rec- ebrating. With their narrow next year. want Scranton Joe out there
control of Congress at stake explaining this blue-collar
in 2022, Democrats across “Now is the time to turn the blueprint to grow the Ameri-
the country are donning corner,” said New York Rep. can economy and we will fol-
hard hats and staging photo Sean Patrick Maloney, Dem- low him.”
ops near bridges to highlight ocratic Congressional Com-
long-neglected public works mittee chairman. “There’s The White House says Biden
projects set to spring to life enough blame to go around, will aggressively sell his par-
thanks to the more than $1 but we have achieved a huge ty’s legislative accomplish-
trillion plan. win for working and middle- ment. The president traveled
class people.” to the Port of Baltimore on
It’s an attempt to move past Wednesday to tout the pack-
months of infighting between Among those Maloney age, though he acknowledged
progressives and moderates blames for the current cli- it would not quickly ease the
and unite around a shovel- mate is President Joe Biden, rising inflation or supply
ready approach to kicking the who Maloney says has failed chain issues weighing on the
post-coronavirus pandemic to properly promote what’s economy: “We still face chal-
economy into high gear. already been achieved. lenges and we have to tackle
them,” he said.
For Democrats like Da- “I think my colleagues on