Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today voted to send S.3373, the vehicle used to carry the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022, back to the Senate for final passage, and ensure it can reach President Joe Biden’s desk. An amendment offered by Rep. Scanlon will provide resources to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure claims from veterans newly eligible under this act are processed in a timely manner.

The Honoring our PACT Act will finally 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 VA. 

“Today, I voted to honor my promise to toxic-exposed veterans and send the Honoring our PACT Act to President Biden’s desk,” said Rep. Scanlon. “The Honoring our PACT Act finally recognizes military toxic exposure as a cost of war and ensures veterans living with the effects of toxic exposure — including exposure to burn pits and Agent Orange — can access the care and benefits they’ve earned. With today’s vote, I am joining my colleagues to honor our country’s sacred obligation to our veterans by making sure that we address the full cost of war. Toxic-exposed veterans held up their end of the deal — it's time Congress did the same.”

Rep. Scanlon continued, “I was proud to lead an amendment to the Honoring our PACT Act to ensure that newly eligible veterans are able to actually access earned benefits and health care in a timely manner. With over 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service, we can expect a notable increase in claims once the Honoring our PACT Act becomes law. My amendment would help the VA to process these long-overdue claims by expanding the Veterans Benefits Management System’s capacity.”

Rep. Scanlon’s support of Honoring our PACT Act builds on her record of delivering justice for veterans, including passing the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act into law last Congress to extend benefits and deliver justice for veterans exposed to Agent Orange. 

The Honoring our PACT Act will:

• Expand VA healthcare eligibility to post-9/11 combat veterans, including more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans;

• Create a streamlined framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure;
• Add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to VA’s list of service-connected presumptive illnesses, including hypertension;
• Expand coverage for illnesses related to Agent Orange exposure;
• Include Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll as locations for Agent Orange exposure;
• Strengthen federal research on toxic exposure;
• Improve VA’s resources and training for toxic-exposed veterans; and
• Set VA and veterans up for success by investing in:
  • VA claims processing;
  • Recruiting and retaining VA’s workforce;
  • Expanding VA’s healthcare infrastructure via leases.

Find the full text of the bill here.

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