JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A bipartisan agreement has been reached Wednesday on legislation that would provide health benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn under the Department of Veterans Affairs for the first time in the nation’s history.
The legislation, if passed, would also establish a registry for exposed veterans and a formal advisory committee on toxic exposure.
It would also create a framework for the establishment of future presumptions related to toxic exposure, while also automatically adding 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to VA’s list of service presumptions.
In March, the US House of Representatives passed the Honoring Our PACT act, seeking to provide health care and benefits for roughly two million veterans exposed to toxins.
The official title of the legislation is called The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022.
Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson deployed to Kosovo and Iraq with the Ohio National Guard.
He died in 2020 from toxic exposure as a result of his military service.
Among its many priorities, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 will:
- Expand VA health care eligibility to Post-9/11 combat veterans, which includes more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans;
- Create a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure;
- Add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension;
- Expand presumptions related to Agent Orange exposure including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll as locations for Agent Orange exposure;
- Strengthen federal research on toxic exposure;
- Improve VA’s resources and training for toxic-exposed veterans; and
- Set VA and veterans up for success by investing in VA claims processing, VA’s workforce and VA health care facilities.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) led negotiations between Democrats, Republicans, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, Ranking Member Mike Bost, the Biden Administration and Veterans Service Organizations that resulted in Wednesday's agreement
Once bill text has been finalized, it will be put on the floor for a vote.
After Senate passage, the legislation must be passed by the House before being signed into law by the President.