The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2021
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speech of
HON. ANNA G. ESHOO
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, as the proud Representative of more than 20,000 veterans in California's 18th Congressional District, I rise in support of H.R. 3967, the Honoring Our PACT Act. This long-overdue legislation makes good on our promise to care for those who have risked their lives to defend our country.
Today, most veterans who seek care and compensation from the VA for medical conditions resulting from service-connected exposure to toxic substances are denied because the VA maintains highly restrictive standards for what constitutes toxic exposure. For years, I've heard from veterans in my District who have described the great frustration of being denied the care and compensation they need.
The Honoring Our PACT Act addresses this issue by acknowledging that toxic exposure is a cost of war. The bill recognizes many new categories of veterans as eligible for care and compensation for toxic exposure, including veterans exposed to burn pits, atomic radiation, PFAS, and other dangerous substances. If enacted, the CBO estimates this legislation will increase the number of veterans receiving VA healthcare by 15 percent over the next decade.
Importantly, H.R. 3967 finally puts into place a legal recourse for veterans and their families who were exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Many of these veterans suffer from cancer, Parkinson's disease, and ALS as a result of their exposure, but they've been denied compensation because of an anomaly in North Carolina state law. I've consistently advocated for remedying this injustice, and I'm pleased that the Honoring Our PACT Act does so by establishing a federal cause of action related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
When our country sends our brave women and men of the U.S. Armed Forces into harm's way, it is our collective responsibility to provide them with the health services, opportunities, and care they've earned. Passing the Honoring Our PACT Act strengthens this sacred promise, and I urge all my colleagues to support this bill and vote yes.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 39
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