“This will allow our warriors to get the help they need.” Congress passes PACT Act

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate, in a bipartisan 86-11 vote, approved a measure to provide health care and benefits for millions of veterans injured by exposure to toxins, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Colloquially known as the PACT Act, it expands healthcare access and coverage for the millions of veterans impacted by toxic exposures. It has been hailed as the largest expansion of care in VA history, and was expected to cost $280 billion over a decade.

Officially known as the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, the PACT Act will ensure veterans can receive health care screenings and services related to potential toxic exposures, as well as expands access to VA health care services for veterans exposed during their military service.

For post-9/11 combat veterans, the bill extends the period of time they have to enroll in VA health care from 5 to 10 years post-discharge. For those combat veterans who do not fall within that window, the bill also creates a one-year open enrollment period. These expansions mean that more veterans can enroll in VA health care without having to demonstrate a service connected disability.

The PACT Act also codifies the VA’s new process for evaluating and determining of exposure and service connection for a wide variety of chronic conditions. It also requires the VA to seek independent evaluation of this process as well as external input on the conditions for review, allowing faster policy decisions on crucial exposure issues.

The bill removes the need for certain veterans and their survivors to prove service connection if they are diagnosed with one of 23 specific conditions, meaning that no longer would veterans have to prove that their illness was caused by toxic exposures suffered in the military in order to get necessary VA coverage.

The list of exposures includes 11 respiratory related conditions, along with several forms of cancer, including reproductive cancers, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, and brain cancers such as glioblastoma. Survivors of veterans who died due to one of these conditions may now also be eligible for benefits.

The bill had been expected to easily pass last week as it had in June but ran into a delay after making a minor change to the legislation, and several Republican senators unexpectedly voted against the bill, including Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, resulting in a 55-42 vote in the 50/50 split chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, switched his vote to a ‘no’ vote before the gavel went down to make it easier to call up the bill again once there were at least 60 senators willing to advance the measure.

Senator Sullivan who is a Marine reservist, had previously voted in favor of the measure, calling the bill “a commitment to the young men and women who went over to Afghanistan and Iraq, to let them know we have their back.”

In the days leading up to the vote, Senator Sullivan expressed concerns that the bill had “imperfections” and the VA’s capacity to implement the act.

“Any system that treats veterans, that would have to take on that many more veterans, risks collapsing the system. Then you have everybody suffering,” the senator said at the time.

During the Tuesday vote, Senators Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski both voted in favor of the PACT Act.

In a statement on her website, Senator Murkowski said, “The number one priority of veterans and veteran organizations in Alaska is making sure we take care of those who were exposed to toxic hazards while serving. And I couldn’t agree more. We must do all we can to care for and support the veterans who have sacrificed so much in service of our nation.

Senator Murkowski went on to say that she was proud the PACT Act had passed, adding, “We are now set to deliver on the promise that our veterans will receive the care they deserve,” before moving on to say that the bill is long overdue and needs to become law so veterans may access the highest quality of care.

Local veterans have praised the passing of the bill. Jessy Larkin, Director of Operations of the non-profit Battle Dawgs, which aids service members and veterans struggling with combat related injuries, said the passage affects him as not only a combat veteran but also his group.

“I’ve been fighting this fight for last 5 years. Actually longer, going through different VA doctors saying I have allergies when I knew it wasn’t. This is f—ing awesome! Hopefully it allows Pulmonary doctors to understand what vets are going through,” he said, adding that he was proud to see legislators meet in the middle to get the bill passed.

When shifting to Battle Dawgs, Larkin says, “For Battle Dawgs, I think it’s definitely something that needed to be passed. Nearly every veteran that comes through us has some symptoms related to exposures. This will allow our warriors to get the help they need.”