President Biden is set to announce that his administration has approved over one million claims from veterans injured by toxic exposures during their service. This achievement was made possible by the new law, the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which President Biden signed into law in the summer of 2022. The goal of the PACT Act is to provide benefits to veterans suffering from various maladies that were not previously eligible for treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Denis McDonough, the veterans affairs secretary, stated that President Biden has long believed that veterans who fell ill while serving their country should not have to fight for their care. The President demanded that the V.A. act quickly and improve its services. President Biden is expected to announce this milestone at an event at the Merrimack YMCA in New Hampshire.
Since the passage of the PACT Act, more than 888,000 veterans and their surviving family members have received approximately $5.7 billion in health benefits from the one million approved claims. These benefits cover a range of conditions, including cancer, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, hypertension, sinusitis, and others related to the respiratory system. The law specifically aims to support veterans exposed to toxins from burn pits near their living and working areas.
This issue is personal for President Biden, as he has speculated that his son Beau developed brain cancer due to exposure to burn pits during his service in Iraq. The President described the effects of these exposures, emphasizing the health risks faced by returning troops. The burn pit legislation passed with bipartisan support, demonstrating a rare instance of unity in Congress.
The announcement of the approval of one million claims is a positive development for a department that has faced criticism for delays in providing benefits to veterans. The PACT Act has helped reduce wait times for veterans seeking care, despite an increase in the number of patients being treated. This achievement comes after previous leadership turnover at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the resignation of Eric Shinseki in 2014 and the firing of David J. Shulkin in 2018.
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