On the recordJuly 13, 2022
Today I rise to urge my colleagues to pass the Honoring our PACT Act to give our veterans the healthcare they earned. Over 3.5 million veterans have been exposed to toxins, such as burn pits, during deployment, causing horrific health impacts. To add insult to injury, the disability benefit claims process places the burden on our vets themselves to jump through hoops. This is a shameful problem-- a shameful problem--one we are determined to fix. This legislation, which includes my FASTER Presumptions Act, will help cut the red tape and streamline procedures for veterans who have earned it to access their healthcare benefits faster. Our veterans served our country with honor and we have to honor their service. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to honor our PACT through this bill, and I thank Chairman Takano for his leadership.
