August 6, 2022
Dear Friends,
One of the great honors of my job as a member of Congress is the opportunity to commemorate the service of our nation’s veterans. Meeting with our brave servicemen and women, their loved ones, and their advocates always deepens my appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans have made to preserve and protect our nation.
Just this week, I was delighted to join Albany County’s monthly Honor-A-Vet event to give my thanks for the service of Ronald Smith Sr., and to present his family with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. While I was moved by Monday’s ceremony and by my conversations with Ronald’s loved ones, I know that the best way to honor the service of our veterans is through strong legislation that makes certain our heroes come home to the benefits they’ve earned. The Honoring our PACT Act is a major step toward fulfilling that promise.
Earlier this week, I was pleased to see the Senate finally send the Honoring our PACT Act to President Biden’s desk. This bill – the first successful effort to finally treat exposure to toxic substances as a cost of war and provide VA health benefits to toxic-exposed veterans – passed easily in the House last month with a strong bipartisan vote of 342-88. With robust support from 42 Veterans Service Organizations and from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, this bill to protect the health of our nation’s heroes should have been above partisanship and petty political grudges. But Senate Republicans thought, and acted, otherwise.
Bitter at Democrats’ efforts to lower costs for Americans, create good jobs, and address climate change though the Inflation Reduction Act, Mitch McConnell and his GOP allies inexplicably moved last week to block the Honoring our PACT Act in retaliation for this unrelated piece of legislation. Some Republicans took a twisted pleasure in holding veterans’ benefits hostage to their political grievances, with one group of Senate Republicans even exchanging fist-bumps on the Senate floor after obstructing this vital legislation.
This callous political maneuver was immediately met with uproar from veterans and veteran advocacy groups furious at the GOP’s use of veterans with cancer as political pawns. In response to public outcry, Republicans abruptly reversed course and allowed the bill to pass. While I remain deeply disturbed and angered by these political games, I’m thrilled that this bill will now finally begin to bring benefits to those who so plainly deserve them.
The Honoring our PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of benefits in VA history - a comprehensive bill to extend earned benefits and healthcare to those veterans exposed to burn pits or other toxic substances during their service. The bill will open up healthcare to more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans, many of whom have previously had to fight for their care on a case-by-case basis. The Honoring our PACT Act creates presumptions for more than 20 respiratory illnesses and cancers, ensuring these veterans are able to receive critical care immediately without completing the arduous process of proving that their service caused their condition.
This bill is not just a short-term fix. The Honoring our PACT Act will help the VA to treat these conditions for years to come by requiring the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening for every veteran and by allocating funding to improve research and treatment related to toxic exposures. And I’m particularly proud that the bill includes provisions from my Fort McClellan Health Registry Act that recognize and seek to address the lasting health impacts related to service at that base, something veterans in my district and beyond have demanded for decades.
Fulfilling our obligations to those who have so bravely served our country is one of Congress’ greatest responsibilities. With this bill, I’m proud to have joined my colleagues in making sure our country can pay for the true cost of war. Toxic-exposed veterans have held up their end of the bargain, and it’s high time Congress did the same.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- In this newsletter, I’ve highlighted some of the benefits of the new Honoring our PACT Act.
- If you or your loved ones need assistance accessing these benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs has resources available for you.
- You can learn more about this new legislation and how it impacts you or your family by visiting VA.gov/PACT, or by calling 1-800-MyVA411.
- You can also begin applying for benefits online by filing a claim for PACT Act-related disability or by applying for VA healthcare.
- Click HERE to find more resources from the VA, including a list of frequently asked questions.
- And as always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you need assistance navigating through the process.
