“This is a significant piece of legislation, probably one of the most significant veterans’ benefits legislation that has passed in the last 20 years,” Peters said. “I certainly encourage veterans if they are dealing with health issues, they should reach out to the VA to see if they are eligible for benefits.”
The PACT Act is perhaps the largest health care and benefit expansion in VA history. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
Representatives from the Veterans Benefit Administration Cleveland Public Contact Team will also be on hand to update veterans on VA claims processes, backlogs and other initiatives, like the new valet parking services at the Cincinnati VA Hospital. Farmer said this portion of the session will allow veterans to go one-on-one with the VA and get answers about their individual issues.
The PACT Act is long overdue for many generations of veterans. As a Gulf War Veteran, I know many veterans were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. It didn’t start or end with us, and we know many more veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post 9/11 eras continue to suffer because of these toxic exposures.
"I’m proud that we’ve taken concrete steps in Congress to improve care for our veterans with the passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act and I am committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to build on this progress," Kuster said.
"It really basically switches the burden from being on the veteran to prove something is related to service, to a presumption that it is related," said Lane County Veterans Program Supervisor, Joseph Reiley.
The VFW’s site notes that the VA is reviewing the comprehensive legislation and will likely publish regulations in the coming months. The Veterans Administration has said in a statement that it will not penalize anyone, cut services or deny pending disability claims for filing a lawsuit.
Of the claims reviewed, the Inspector General found that 21,000 claims were processed incorrectly. One of the two main errors was that the Veterans Benefits Administration prematurely denied 17,200 claims. Required letters requesting veterans to provide evidence of their documented exposure were never sent, the report said.
“The hypocrisy is so galling, but then you get to the place where I’m at right now where it’s: How do you shame the shameless?” he thought aloud, detailing some of the veterans he’s worked with who are in need of the extended benefits the PACT Act provides.
The PACT Act, authored by Takano and signed by Biden on Aug. 10, expands Veterans Affairs health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances, according to the VA. It adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures, as well as presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation. Presumptive conditions mean the veteran does not have to prove their service caused the condition; they only need to meet the service requirements.