VVA Chapter PI 887

Vietnam Veterans of America

Regarding the passage of S.3373, SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act — VVA will work with Congress and the Department of Veteran Affairs to ensure that this bill is fully implemented, which will provide 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxins with the following healthcare and compensation benefits once signed into law.

• Concede exposure to burn pits and toxic environments;

• Provide healthcare based on toxic exposures;

• Add 24 burn pits and toxic exposure-related diseases;

• Add hypertension as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange Exposure;

• Provide a framework for establishing presumptive diseases in the future;

• Expand radiation-risk activities to include veterans who participated in radiation cleanup at Enewetak Atoll and Palomares, Spain;

• Including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll as conceded locations for Agent Orange Exposure; and

• Provide retroactive benefits for DIC claims

Go to:https://www.congress.gov/…/s3373/BILLS-117s3373eah.pdf (congress.gov) read the final bill text

Go to: https://www.senate.gov/…/vote1172/vote_117_2_00280.htm to see the final 86-11 vote

In addition, we were honored to be working side by side, walking the halls of Congress with our VSO/MSO, Rosie Torres burn-pits 360, Jon Stewart, Jon Feals, the mother-in law of SFC Heath Robinson and his daughter Brielle. A special thanks to the vets who sacrificed being away from their families and camped out at the US capitol under extreme weather conditions. VVA leadership and grassroots advocates for writing letters, making phone calls and visiting their house and senate representatives to support passage of the PACT Act.

After thirteen years of waiting for the bill to become law, this is a monumental victory for all veterans and their families.