Peters Statement on the One Year Anniversary of the PACT Act
DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the one year anniversary of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act being signed into law.
“The PACT Act is delivering long overdue benefits and health care to Michigan veterans who were exposed to harmful substances like Agent Orange and toxic burn pits during their service. In the year since this bill was signed into law, thousands of Michigan veterans have gained access to this health care, and I encourage toxic-exposed veterans and their survivors to apply for these benefits if they haven’t already.”
The PACT Act is working to ensure all generations of veterans exposed to toxic substances can access essential services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by:
- Expanding VA health care eligibility to millions of post-9/11 combat veterans;
- Creating a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure;
- Adding 23 health conditions related to burn pit and toxic-exposure to the VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension;
- Expanding the list of locations officially recognized as being related to Agent Orange exposure from service (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa, and Johnston Atoll);
- Strengthening federal research on toxic exposure;
- Providing additional resources to ensure VA workforce and systems can withstand increased demand;
- Investing to improve VA claims processing, workforce, and health care facilities;
- Bolstering development of the VA’s workforce by increasing the limits of student loan repayment programs and streamlining the hiring process; and
- Allowing servicemembers and military families to seek financial compensation for injuries or illnesses they suffered as a result of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina—an issue that has impacted some Michiganders and is based on a bill Peters cosponsored, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022.
Peters helped to pass and enact the PACT Act after pushing for years to pass legislation that would provide generations of veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances, and their survivors, with VA benefits they’ve earned through service to our nation. As of July 2023, nearly 17,000 Michigan veterans have applied for expanded VA benefits through the PACT Act.
To file claims in order to apply for PACT Act-related benefits, veterans should call the Veterans Administration (VA) at 800-698-2411 or file a claim online for disability benefits and/or VA health care. For more information about the PACT Act, click here.
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