Biden Signs Legislation to Expand Benefits for Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits

President Biden signed bipartisan legislation into law on Aug. 19 saying it’s the “least we can do” for countless military veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits during their time in service. During an event in the East Room, Biden called the legislation “the least we can do for the countless men and women who suffered toxic exposure while serving their country.” 

The PACT Act will expand eligibility for Veterans Affairs health care, make it easier for military veterans to qualify for VA services, strengthen toxic exposure research and improve care for veterans exposed to toxins. Eligible veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors can apply for PACT Act benefits.

The bill recently passed both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support. Biden vowed to swiftly sign it into law, saying the burn pits issue is personal for himself and his family.

Burn pits have been used by the military to remove household trash, as well as more toxic substances, including paint, metals, plastics and human waste. The fires burned toxic chemicals and were often close to areas in which service members lived and worked while overseas.

The measure would be the biggest expansion of veterans’ benefits since the Agent Orange Act of 1991, which increased access to care for Vietnam War veterans who had been exposed to the toxic herbicide that endangered generations of Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians. The new legislation would effectively presume that any American service member stationed in a combat zone for the last 32 years could have been exposed to toxic substances, allocating a projected $280 billion over the next decade to treat ailments tied to those exposures and streamlining veterans’ access to such care.

For additional information, visit https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/.

Blake Hyfield is the post service officer for the local VFW and American Legion posts. He can be reached at bhpegleg@yahoo.com.