March 3, 2022 10:40 a.m.

On Thursday, Congressman Peter DeFazio voted in support of HR 3967, the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins Act, also known as Honoring our PACT Act.

A release said the legislation will address a full range of issues impacting veterans exposed to toxic substances.

DeFazio said, “I have long believed that we are obligated to properly care for the men and women who serve in our nations armed forces”. DeFazio said that means all veterans, including the over 3.5 million who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service. DeFazio said, “this bipartisan legislation will finally get our
veterans the help they need and treat military toxic exposure as a cost of war once and for all”.

The release said the Honoring our PACT Act is a comprehensive, bipartisan legislative package that will provide healthcare to over 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service. It will also establish a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits and airborne hazards exposure. The release said that means that if a veteran served in a particular theatre at a particular time, they will now be presumed to be exposed to toxic substances and therefore potentially eligible for VA healthcare and benefits.

DeFazio said the legislation will also streamline the VA’s review process for establishing toxic exposure presumptions, so that Congress does not have to keep intervening, and veterans don’t have to wait decades for help.