ICYMI: Biden-Harris Administration Celebrates Millionth Claim Under Historic PACT Act

This week, President Biden announced that his Administration has approved over 1 million PACT Act claims. The PACT Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2022, is the largest expansion of veterans benefits in 30 years, and has helped over 880,000 veterans and their families access benefits. On Tuesday, President Biden visited New Hampshire to deliver the good news, also highlighting that under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs is enrolling more veterans in health care than ever before and is approving disability claims at the fastest rate in history. The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to stand behind the heroes that serve our country and will continue to fight so that health care and benefits are readily available.

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The New York Times: V.A. Has Approved 1 Million Claims Under Burn Pit Law, Biden Announces
[Michael D. Shear, 5/21/24]

President Biden announced on Tuesday that his administration had approved more than one million claims from veterans injured by toxic exposures during their service, actions made possible by a new law he championed, officials said.

The president signed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act, into law in the summer of 2022, with the goal of quickly getting benefits to veterans who had been suffering from a variety of maladies that did not qualify for treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

At an event at the Merrimack YMCA in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Mr. Biden praised his administration for making good on the nation's obligations to the people who defend it.

"I took office, I determined that come hell or high water we were going to protect the heroes and protect our nation," Mr. Biden said, describing the thousands of members of the armed forces who were poisoned by toxic exposures. "My son Beau was one of those veterans, so this is personal to me."

Washington Post: Over 1 million claims related to toxic exposure granted under new veterans law, Biden announces
[Seung Min Kim, 5/21/24]

President Joe Biden, aiming to highlight his legislative accomplishments this election year, traveled to New Hampshire on Tuesday to discuss how he's helped military veterans get benefits as a result of burn pit or other toxic exposure during their service.

"We can never fully thank you for all the sacrifices you've made," Biden said to the veterans and their families gathered at a YMCA. "In America, we leave no veteran behind. That's our motto."

In raw numbers, more than 1 million claims have been granted to veterans since Biden signed the so-called PACT Act into law in August 2022, the administration said Tuesday. That amounts to about 888,000 veterans and survivors in all 50 states who have been able to receive disability benefits under the law.

That totals about $5.7 billion in benefits given to veterans and their survivors, according to the administration.

NBC News: Biden touts PACT Act milestone as he focuses his pitch on veterans
[Nnamdi Egwuonwu, Mike Memoli, Peter Alexander and Olympia Sonnier, 5/21/24]

President Joe Biden kicked off a series of events Tuesday that will focus on members of the military by highlighting a bipartisan law he signed two years ago to help veterans who've been exposed to burn pits or other poisons more easily receive care.

"The PACT Act is one of the most influential bills to affect veterans in probably the last 75 years," Navy veteran Paul Lloyd said. But when he was asked whether he plans to vote for Biden for signing the law, Lloyd said that he's "on the fence" and that taking care of veterans is a "bipartisan issue."

For other veterans in the audience, however, Biden's emotional tie to their experiences resonated and the achievement is worthy of their support. In talking about service members who've become ill after having been exposed to poisonous fumes while they were deployed, Biden recounted how his son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015. He often links the cancer to his son's deployment to Iraq.

Washington Examiner: Biden celebrates one-millionth PACT Act claim in New Hampshire
[Christian Datoc, 5/21/24]

President Joe Biden traveled to New Hampshire on Tuesday to celebrate 1 million veterans applying for coverage through the PACT Act, a veterans healthcare bill Biden signed into law in 2022.

The legislation extends coverage for veterans exposed to burn pits and toxic substances while serving overseas.

The president's late son, Beau Biden, died from brain cancer that Joe Biden believes was caused by burn pit exposure, and the older Biden recalled his son's story during Tuesday's remarks.

"So this is personal to me and my family and his family and his children and so many of yours," the president said. "Come hell or high water, we're going to protect the heroes and protect our nation."