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Former “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart on Tuesday accused the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of being “an obstacle” to providing medical coverage and care to service members who have developed illnesses from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. In an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” Stewart, who has in recent years become increasingly involved in advocacy on behalf of veterans and 9/11 first responders, brought attention to the open air piles of burning trash and fuel that the VA estimates that more than three million service members have been exposed to. (Castronuovo, 4/13)

Comedian Jon Stewart joined lawmakers on Tuesday to announce legislation that would make it easier for veterans with diseases linked to burn pits to access Veterans Affairs benefits. "For those that have fought and defended and served this country, for them to come home and have to fight against the very government that they volunteered to defend is immoral," Stewart said, with Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. standing nearby with a group of advocates, some of them veterans. (Robinson, 4/13)

Actor Mark Ruffalo joined two Michigan lawmakers on Tuesday to announce the introduction of legislation that would increase regulations on certain chemicals. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D) and Fred Upton (R) introduced the PFAS Action Act, a measure designed to protect consumers from perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances that can be found in water, food and fish. Prolonged exposure to the chemical substances can lead to cancer and thyroid disruption, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Gans, 4/13)

Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.) have reintroduced legislation targeting so-called forever chemicals that previously passed the House, expressing optimism that the Democratic Senate is more likely to pass the measure. The legislation would establish a national drinking water standard for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up sites contaminated by such substances under its Superfund program. (Budryk, 4/13)

The House on Tuesday approved a bill that would put off automatic cuts to Medicare provider payments until the end of the year. The bill passed with a strong bipartisan majority of 384-38.Technically, the House vote comes nearly two weeks after the cuts were set to take effect, but the delay came with knowledge that action could be postponed until Congress returned from recess and passed the legislation. (Elis, 4/13)

Most of us are familiar with Kübler-Ross’ five stages of grief. Rep. Andy Barr knows them entirely too well — his wife, Carol, died suddenly last June, just a few weeks shy of her 40th birthday. In the last few months, Barr’s worked through denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, but there’s still one more step to go: lawmaking. (Saksa, 4/13)