The Honoring Our PACT Act of 2021 has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
On March 3, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 with bipartisan support.
The bill is widely supported by veteran service organizations like The American Legion and was co-sponsored by 25 U.S. representatives, including several from California.
The Honoring Our PACT Act addresses several shortcomings for veterans seeking medical care related to toxic exposure during military service, most notably to burn pits.
The bill will allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to attribute many respiratory illnesses and cancers to toxic exposure or radiation on a presumptive basis, meaning veterans will not have to prove the cause of their ailment. Hypertension and an abnormal blood condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance, or MGUS, will also be added to the list of recognized symptoms of Agent Orange exposure.
The act will also streamline VA medical care centers’ review process for determining benefits eligibility as they pertain to toxic exposure. According to the office of House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., the bill is expected to “provide healthcare for potentially as many as 3.5 million veterans exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits.”
The Honoring Our PACT Act will now go to the Senate, which already saw passage of the Health Care for Burt Pit Veterans Act earlier this year. The Senate bill has yet to see a vote in the House. President Joe Biden voiced his support for toxic exposure legislation during his 2022 State of the Union Address, noting he is “calling on Congress to pass a law to make sure veterans devastated by toxic exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan finally get the benefits and the comprehensive health care they deserve.”
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.