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President Biden Signs Into Law Harder Legislation Providing Benefits to 50,000 Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

August 11, 2022

Last year Harder passed legislation to provide benefits to 34,000 veterans exposed to Agent Orange; this legislation provides benefits to an estimated additional 50,000 Vietnam veterans exposed to toxins during their service

WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden signed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act into law. The bill will provide new and expanded medical benefits to more than 3.5 million veterans across the country. The bill includes legislation authored by Representative Josh Harder expanding the pool of Vietnam veterans eligible for benefits due to exposure to Agent Orange.Rep. Harder’s grandfather passed away due to health complications caused by Agent Orange exposure when he was a child.

 

Last year, Rep. Harder successfully passed legislation extending benefits to more than 34,000 veterans experiencing bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, or hypothyroidism due to a toxic exposure during their service. This legislation adds hypertension and Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to this list, opening up additional health care benefits to an estimated 50,000 Vietnam veterans.

 

“Today is a great day. President Biden, by signing this bill, just delivered long overdue health care to more than 50,000 of our Vietnam veterans exposed to toxins like Agent Orange during their service,” said Rep. Harder. “My grandfather passed away when I was a little kid due to toxic exposures during his service, but he would be proud to see what we’ve accomplished for the men and women who fought alongside him all those years ago.”

 

Vietnam Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and have certain medical conditions get access to benefits and support through the VA. However, before Rep. Harder’s successful pushes, veterans with bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, Parkinsonism, hypertension, and MGUS were not included – despite comprehensive medical evidence linking these conditions to Agent Orange exposure.

 

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Issues:Veterans