FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2022
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Warnock-Backed Veterans Health Care Bill Becomes Law
Reverend Warnock Led the Fight to Pass The PACT Act, Which Would Provide Care For Millions Of Veterans Exposed To Toxic Burn Pits During Their Service
Atlanta, GA – After months of Reverend Warnock fighting to expand health care for veterans, the PACT Act was signed into law today. The bill would provide health care coverage to the nearly 350,000 Georgia veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service. The PACT Act is part of Reverend Warnock’s extensive record of fighting for Georgia’s veterans and military families.
See coverage of Warnock’s work for veterans below:
Watch WRDW Augusta’s Coverage HERE
Zayna Haliburton: “In Washington, the Senate has approved a bill that will help millions of veterans exposed to overseas burn pits. The passage of the bill was announced by Georgia Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. The new legislation will make it easier for veterans to claim benefits and treatment for 23 diseases and rare cancers related to toxic exposure.”
Watch 11Alive Atlanta’s Coverage HERE
Anchor: “Today, a major bipartisan victory, helping millions of veterans. The U.S. Senate passing the PACT Act, which expands health benefits to military members sickened from exposure to toxic chemicals in burn pits.”
WRDW Augusta — Ossoff, Warnock hail passage of veteran toxic exposure bill
- The Senate passed a bill backed by Georgia’s senators to expand health care access for veterans who suffer from health conditions related to burn pits and other toxic exposures, often during their service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
- Democratic Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff announced the passage of the measure they supported.
- The bipartisan legislation will strengthen federal research on toxic exposures and the health issues that may result from them, as well as:
- Expand Department of Veterans Affairs health care eligibility to Post-9/11 combat veterans, which includes more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans.
- Create a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure.
- Add 23 burn pit and toxic exposure-related conditions to VA’s list of service presumptions, including hypertension.
- Expand presumptions related to Agent Orange exposure.
- Strengthen federal research on toxic exposure.
- Improve VA resources and training for toxic-exposed veterans.
- Set VA and veterans up for success by investing in VA claims processing, workforce and health care facilities.
BACKGROUND ON REVEREND WARNOCK’S WORK TO SUPPORT GEORGIA’S VETERANS AND SERVICEMEMBERS
- This summer, Reverend Warnock introduced legislation to help veterans find stable housing and access job training to help them return to the workforce.
- Reverend Warnock fought to maintain critical funding to keep the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center open and preserve critical military jobs after the White House proposed cuts to the Center.
- Reverend Warnock secured more than $2.5 million in federal funding to help homeless Georgia veterans.
- Reverend Warnock is leading the oversight effort to protect servicemembers from unsafe living conditions at military base housing, and fought for a $100 million authorization for Fort Stewart to improve barracks on base.
- Reverend Warnock secured over $110 million for some of Georgia’s top military bases to improve barracks and restore helicopter facilities, and secured a 3 percent pay raise for active duty and civilian personnel in Georgia.
- Warnock met with military families in Camden County to discuss bolstering mental health care services, child care, extending the child tax credit, improving on-base living conditions and more
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