Dr. Ruiz Applauds Bipartisan Agreement on Toxic Exposure Legislation 

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) applauded a bipartisan agreement made to advance comprehensive toxic exposure legislation, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021, or the Honoring our PACT Act, through the Senate. The agreement includes provisions authored by Dr. Ruiz to get veterans who have been exposed to burn pits the benefits and care they urgently need by establishing a link between their military service and 23 diseases and rare cancers.

"Today, we take a giant step forward in getting our nation's veterans who are suffering from their exposure to burn pits the care they have earned and deserve," said Dr. Ruiz. "I have long fought to get veterans the presumptive benefits they urgently need, and I am thrilled to see the Senate preserve this priority in the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act. I urge the Senate to stand up for our veterans and bring this much-needed legislation up for a vote without delay."

BACKGROUND

Veterans are now sick and dying from lung diseases, cancers, and respiratory illnesses after living among this toxic cocktail of dust, smoke, and debris while serving our country overseas.

Veterans who have been exposed to burn pits and other toxins overseas often face a cumbersome – and sometimes impossible – disability benefit claims process at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to get the health care they need.

The Honoring our PACT Act would streamline this process. Specifically, the bill would:

• Provide Priority Group 6 health care for certain toxic exposed veterans
• Streamline VA's review process for establishing toxic exposure presumptions
• Concede exposure to airborne hazards/burn pits based on locations & dates of service
• Require medical exams/opinions for certain veterans with toxic exposure disability claims
• Add hypertension and MGUS to the list of presumptions for Agent Orange exposure
• Establish a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits/airborne hazards exposure
• Create a presumption of exposure to radiation for veterans who participated in cleanup activities in Palomares, Spain and Enewetak Atoll
• Expand agent orange exposure to veterans who served in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia
• Improve data collection between VA and the Department of Defense
• Commission studies related to incidents of cancer among veterans, health trends of Post 9/11 veterans and feasibility of providing healthcare to dependents of veterans
• Require VA provide standardized training to improve toxic exposure claims adjudications
• Require VA conduct outreach and provide resources to toxic exposed veterans

Dr. Ruiz, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) previously introduced the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act, which created a presumption of service connection for 23 conditions, including respiratory conditions and cancers for approximately 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards.

The Honoring our PACT Act includes this provision from Dr. Ruiz's bill as well as his priority to ensure that disabled veterans who have been exposed to burn pits and other toxins are given the "benefit of the doubt" by the VA when seeking medical coverage.

Dr. Ruiz, the founder and co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Burn Pits Caucus, has been a consistent advocate in addressing the military's use of toxic burn pits and helping veterans who have been exposed obtain the benefits and care they need from the Department of Veterans Affairs.