Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted for H.R. 3967, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, to provide presumptive health care benefits to more than 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service.  The bill passed the House on a bipartisan basis, 256-174. 

“When we send our servicemembers into harm’s way, we do so with the promise that we will take care of them when they come home,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “Today, I voted for the bipartisan Honoring Our PACT Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation to expand access to care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances and airborne hazards during their service to our country who are experiencing cancer and illnesses tied to toxic exposure.”

Leaders from 11 Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) support the comprehensive bipartisan package, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), The American Legion (TAL), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Minority Veterans of America (MVA), and Burn Pits 360, among others. 

The Honoring Our PACT Act: 

• Provides Priority Group 6 health care for certain toxic-exposed veterans;

• Streamlines the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) review process for establishing toxic exposure presumptions;

• Requires medical exams for certain veterans with toxic exposure disability claims;

• Establishes a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits and airborne hazards exposure;

• Expands agent orange exposure presumption to veterans who served in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia;

• Adds hypertension and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance to the list of presumptions for Agent Orange exposure;

• Creates a presumption of exposure to radiation for veterans who participated in cleanup activities in Palomares, Spain, and Enewetak Atoll;

• Requires the VA to provide standardized training to improve toxic exposure disability claims adjudications;

• Improves data collection between VA and the Department of Defense; and

• Commissions studies related to incidents of cancer among veterans, health trends of Post 9/11 veterans, and feasibility of providing health care to dependents of veterans.