Rep. Delgado Votes to Support Veterans and Address Exposure to Toxic Substances

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) voted to pass the bipartisan Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act or Honoring our PACT Act, which will treat toxic exposure as a cost of war by addressing the full range of issues impacting toxic-exposed veterans, including access to earned benefits and healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Honoring our PACT Act is a comprehensive legislative package that will open up healthcare to over 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service and finally address exposure to burn pits and airborne hazards. It will create presumptions for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers, shifting the burden of proof off our veterans. This means that if a veteran served in a particular theatre at a particular time, they will be presumed to be exposed to toxic substances and therefore potentially eligible for healthcare and benefits. Critically, this bipartisan legislation will also streamline VA's presumption a process, so that Congress does not have to keep intervening, and our veterans don't have to wait decades for help.

"Veterans stepped up and dedicated themselves to our country, putting themselves in harm's way to keep us safe," said Rep. Delgado. "Today, we took a critical step toward fulfilling our obligations to toxic-exposed veterans by passing the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act. By finally recognizing military toxic exposure as a cost of war, the Honoring our PACT Act will ensure that more veterans can access care and benefits."

Leaders from 11 Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) 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, support the comprehensive bipartisan package.

Rep. Delgado has worked tirelessly to serve veterans. In 2021, two of his bipartisan bills, the Fairness for Local Veteran Cemeteries Act and Improving Benefits for Underserved Veterans Act, were signed into law. He has also introduced the bipartisan Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline (REACH) for Veterans Act to improve the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL).

Source