PHOTOS: Peters Kicks Off Annual Motorcycle Tour by Marking One Year Anniversary of PACT Act with Veterans in Muskegon

MUSKEGON, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) kicked off his annual motorcycle tour across Michigan in Muskegon today by joining local veterans and veterans services leaders at the USS Silversides Museum to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act becoming law. The PACT Act has started to deliver VA benefits to veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic chemicals during their service. Peters, an avid motorcycle rider, is also making stops in Ironwood, Escanaba, Traverse City, Bay City, Lansing, and Novi as part of his “Paving the Way for Michigan’s Future” tour.

Veterans in Michigan and across the country are now able to apply for the new benefits that Peters helped enact into law one year ago through the PACT Act. The PACT Act delivered VA health care and benefits to all generations of toxic-exposed veterans — and their survivors — for the first time in our nation’s history. The law also ensures that veterans have access to toxic exposure screenings at VA health facilities across the country. Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, helped pass the bipartisan legislation in the Senate, which was signed into law in August 2022 by President Biden.

“Thanks to the PACT Act, Michigan veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their service are starting to receive the long overdue benefits they deserve,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “I was honored to join veterans in Muskegon to talk about how this law is making a difference, and as we celebrate one year of the PACT Act it’s important to keep encouraging veterans and their survivors to apply for these VA benefits and health care.”

“The PACT Act has already helped thousands of Michigan veterans and their families – like myself and my own – receive critical health care and benefits,” said Retired Sergeant John Hunt III, Army veteran and Rockford resident. “The PACT Act has also improved VA medical coverage for my father, who is a Vietnam veteran and has battled cancer and other health problems as a result of his service abroad. Our experience is a prime example of how the PACT is helping veterans across generations to get the care they need.”

“This issue is personal to me. I have seen my fellow servicemembers jump through hoops to get the medical care they needed and sometimes denied crucial benefits altogether,” said Retired Sergeant Robbert Tannis, Army veteran and Muskegon resident. “Thanks to the PACT Act becoming law, we are now able to access this vital care and I’ve made it my mission to encourage those I served alongside to take advantage of the VA benefits they earned and deserve. So, thank you Senator Peters for your work on this legislation and for bringing us here today to spread the word.”

“Thank you, Senator Peters, for fighting to ensure our nation’s servicemembers and their families receive the world-class care and support they deserve after their service,” said Mike Baauw, Veterans Service Officer (VSO) and Director of the Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs. “Every day, I work with veterans who served in the Gulf Wars, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and other conflicts where they were exposed to toxic substances or burn pits and are now in need of critical care. One year after the PACT Act became law, folks in my profession can now more effectively do our jobs and make sure veterans get the benefits and health care they need.”

More than 16,000 Michigan veterans have filed claims under the PACT Act to receive health care benefits since the law was enacted. Veterans can file claims to apply for PACT Act-related benefits by calling the Veterans Administration (VA) at 800-698-2411 or filing a claim online for disability benefits and/or VA health care.

For more information about the PACT Act, click here.

To download high-resolution photos from the event, click here or on the images below. Images are courtesy of Senator Peters’ office.

The PACT Act for the first time ensures all generations of veterans exposed to toxic substances can access essential services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – including 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 is a strong advocate for Michigan’s servicemembers and veterans. In 2021, Peters was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for his efforts to support our nation’s veterans and military. In 2017, Peters was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Vietnam Veterans of America for authoring the bipartisan Fairness for Veterans Act, which was signed into law. The legislation requires veteran discharge review boards to give liberal consideration to petitions for honorable discharge status if the servicemember has been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or other related conditions connected to their military service. As of the fall of 2020, more than 1,500 veterans have had their discharges upgraded since his legislation was enacted.

Peters passed into law bipartisan legislation to strengthen transparency and communication for veterans and caregivers participating in the VA’s caregiver program. His bipartisan legislation to expand apprenticeship opportunities for veterans and allow them to use their GI bill benefits to secure a registered apprenticeship was signed into law in 2020. Peters also fought for and helped secure a measure in the national defense billto expand the Department of Veterans’ Affairs list of medical conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure to include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism.

###