(Boston 8/2/2022) With the news that the federal Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act will come before the United States Senate tonight, more than 50 state legislators from across Massachusetts are signing onto a letter from Senator Velis today that urges the Senate to pass the bill.
“It is beyond time that we acknowledge the health impact that burn pits, air borne hazards, and other toxic exposures have on our service-members, and we urge you to continue doing everything in your power to get this important legislation to President Biden…. It is our government that sends these men and women off to war. And it is our government that must take care of them when they come home,” reads the letter authored by Senator Velis.
Otherwise known as the PACT Act, the bill would allow Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins during deployments to finally get the disability benefits and medical care from the VA that they need.
This past weekend, the Massachusetts legislature enacted their own bill for service-members who have been exposed to burn pits and other toxins, the SPEED Act. Filed by Senator Velis, the legislation directs state agencies to reach out to every service-member in Massachusetts with information about the health impact of these toxins, as well as information on the Federal Airborne Hazards and Burn Pit Registry, which is used by the VA to track Veterans who have been exposed. The letter notes that while legislators will continue to work with Governor Baker to get this legislation signed into law for Massachusetts service-members, they want to also pledge their support for the PACT Act.
“The Department of Defense has said that nearly 3.5 million service-members have suffered enough exposure to cause health problems, and yet 80% of exposure claims to the VA have been denied,” said Senator Velis. “It’s time that we put partisan politics aside and get this bill done, so that Veterans across our nation no longer have to face these massive financial obstacles to get the care they so desperately need.”
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