WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate voted to pass the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act to ensure all veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their service have access to the care and benefits they need and deserve. Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) already voted to pass this bill through the House twice. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.
Most significantly, this legislation would create a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to toxic exposure. By finally making this change, veterans exposed to toxic substances – including veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who served near burn pits and were exposed to other airborne hazards – will no longer be subject to a cumbersome disability benefit claims process that places the burden of proof on veterans themselves. This streamlines their access to expanded benefits and healthcare available through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) automatically based on their dates and locations of service.
"When our servicemembers risk their health and wellbeing for our nation, they deserve outstanding care and health coverage when they come home – not a bureaucratic maze of red tape," said Congressman Kim. "I'm proud to have voted for this important piece of legislation because over 3.5 million veterans still don't have the coverage they need after sacrificing so much. I'm glad this bill passed the House and Senate in a bipartisan way and is now headed to the President’s desk. With this bill, we’re making good on our country’s promise to repay veterans' service with the care and benefits they have earned."
The bill includes the Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act, which Congressman Kim cosponsored. This bill will provide a presumption of service connection for hypertension and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) for veterans who served in Vietnam. Last Congress, Congressman Kim successfully fought to make Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism presumptive conditions. This change was signed into law as part of the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and the VA has already begun automatically reviewing disability claims for veterans whose claims had previously been denied. When signed into law, the Honoring our PACT Act will provide the same automatic eligibility for veterans with hypertension and MGUS on a rolling basis based on the date they were discharged from the military, without the need for additional documentation to prove their illness is connected to their exposure to Agent Orange,
Congressman Kim has fought for veterans since his first day in office, including doubling America’s investment in veteran suicide prevention outreach programs, delivering a new, state-of-the-art VA health clinic to Toms River, honoring Gold Star families, securing $621 million for veteran opioid abuse prevention, held a roundtable with veterans and servicemembers on suicide prevention, and recently received the New Jersey VFW’s Legislator of the Year award.
Congressman Kim is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Committee on Small Business. More information about Congressman Kim can be found on his website by clicking here.
Original source found here.
