WASHINGTON, DC (July 14, 2022)-- U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) voted for the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, a bipartisan federal bill that would provide healthcare and benefits to military veterans who were exposed to burn pits or other dangerous toxins in service to our country.
The bill is named in honor of the late Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, an Ohio National Guardsman, who passed away in 2020 from cancer as a result of toxic exposure during deployments to Kosovo and Iraq.
"When men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces answer the call of duty and bravely face the unknown circumstances of serving on the front-lines, we must ensure they are well taken care of when they return home. Time and again, I've met with veterans battling serious health complications after being exposed to dangerous toxins, like Agent Orange, and they deserve quick access to the healthcare they need without fighting through red tape in Washington," said Congressman Rogers, Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives. "I'm honored to stand firm for our veterans in support of this important bill."
The legislation will expand healthcare to more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans, including all post-9/11 combat veterans. It would also expand presumptions for veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to the Department of Veterans Affairs' list.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 342-88 and it now returns to the Senate for final approval.
For more information about Congressman Rogers' work in Washington and at home in Kentucky, visit halrogers.house.gov or follow him on social media.
