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President Biden will sign bipartisan legislation Wednesday aimed at helping military veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits while on duty.
Biden will sign Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT Act of 2022, in the East Room of the White House. The law aims to help more than 5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.
He is introduced by Danielle Robinson and Brielle Robinson, the surviving wife and daughter of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, after whom the bill is named. Heath Robinson is a distinguished paramedic who died of a rare form of lung cancer.
Sign Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act of 2022.”/>President Biden will honor Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson on Wednesday Sign Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act of 2022. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The PACT Act will expand veteran affairs health care eligibility, make it easier for military veterans to qualify for VA service, strengthen toxic exposure research, and improve care for veterans exposed to toxins. Eligible veterans, their families, carers and survivors may apply for benefits under the PACT Act.
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The president urged US lawmakers to work on cremation pit legislation during his first State of the Union address earlier this year.
President Biden called on Congress to work on burn pit legislation during his first State of the Union address earlier this year. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The bill recently passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. Biden vowed to sign it into law quickly, saying the cremation pit issue is personal to him and his family.
“By the time they got home, many of the fittest, best-trained warriors we’ve ever had weren’t the same; Headache, deafness, dizziness, cancer. My son Beau was one of them.” Biden said at a White House event in June.
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Fire pits were used by the military to remove household waste, as well as more toxic substances such as paint, metals, plastics, and human waste. The fires burned toxic chemicals and were often near areas where expatriate soldiers lived and worked.
President Biden vowed to enact the PACT Act quickly and said the cremation pit issue is personal to him and his family. (Associated Press)
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Attendees at Biden’s signing include toxic-exposed veterans and their families, attorneys, administrators, members of Congress and Veterans Affairs staff who have worked on the issue.