PALM DESERT — U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., are celebrating the advancement of the bipartisan, bicameral Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act, legislation aimed at protecting servicemember health and strengthening national security by ending the military’s use of open-air burn pits.Provisions of the WIPE Act prohibiting the use of open-air burn pits to dispose of contraband or classified materials were included in the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, according to the lawmakers.“As an emergency physician, I’ve seen the devastating effects of toxic exposure on our servicemembers,” Ruiz said. “The WIPE Act builds on the PACT Act by moving the military away from hazardous burn pits and toward safe
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
PALM DESERT — U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., are celebrating the advancement of the bipartisan, bicameral Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act, legislation aimed at protecting servicemember health and strengthening national security by ending the military’s use of open-air burn pits.Provisions of the WIPE Act prohibiting the use of open-air burn pits to dispose of contraband or classified materials were included in the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, according to the lawmakers.“As an emergency physician, I’ve seen the devastating effects of toxic exposure on our servicemembers,” Ruiz said. “The WIPE Act builds on the PACT Act by moving the military away from hazardous burn pits and toward safe
