Most leading Republicans have abandoned Rep. W. Todd Akin in his U.S. Senate race, but they’re still passing his legislation on Capitol Hill.
Mr. Akin received his first good news out of Washington in a long time when the House passed one of his bills on Wednesday that would create a registry for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have been hurt by exposure to burn pits.
SEE RELATED:
The Missouri Republican wasn’t there to participate in the voice vote. He’s back home, trying to resuscitate his campaign against Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill after losing his party’s support last month when he suggested that women are unlikely to become pregnant from a “legitimate” rape.
Mr. Akin applauded the passage of the bill from the campaign trail, saying he hopes the Senate will take it up quickly. The legislation has been widely endorsed by veterans’ groups.
“This legislation started because two of my constituents suffering from burn pit exposure approached my congressional office,” Mr. Akin said. “Since then, I have heard from dozens of veterans and family members who are sick or have lost a loved one because of the exposure from burn pits.”
