Chris Deluzio: “I thank the ranking member for yielding time. I think we can all agree in this body that this country has a sacred…”

“I thank the ranking member for yielding time. I think we can all agree in this body that this country has a sacred obligation to care for those that wore the uniform, who served in peace or in war or both, and that starts with adequately funding and staffing the VA to make sure that those who have earned their benefits, who have earned their care, can receive them. That is why the Honoring our PACT Act that the ranking member and so many others got through this Congress is such a big deal. It is why it is so powerful. It expands VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic chemicals across generations who have served, and it fulfills that sacred promise this country has made. Veterans have long been exposed to some nasty stuff in service in Vietnam, the Gulf war, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other places. My generation saw burn pit exposure in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. We now know how dangerous this exposure can be and is for folks; cancers and diseases. The PACT Act meets this moment. It adds a presumption of service- related illnesses coming from that toxic exposure. It cuts through red tape that had been blocking too many veterans from the care they have earned. We see the numbers. Over a million veterans and survivors have already had claims approved under the PACT Act. That is a big deal. It means those veterans and their families now have access to those benefits that are hard earned that their service ought to have guaranteed.…”