Kelly, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand PACT Act Coverage to Iran War Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and eleven of their Senate colleagues introduced the New PACT for Iran Veterans Act , legislation that would ensure Iran veterans are covered under the Kelly-backed PACT Act passed in 2022 , cutting unnecessary red tape and making it easier for our warfighters who are being exposed to toxic substances to access the unique treatment they need when they return home. The PACT Act helped generations of Veterans—from Vietnam to Iraq—more easily receive care from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by establishing a list of locations where it is presumed by law that troops who served there were exposed to toxic hazards. Iran is currently not included on this presumed-exposure list. The New PACT for Iran Veterans Act would require the VA to add Iran to the list of covered locations and take more proactive action to ensure Iran War veterans and all veterans who serve in future conflicts don’t have to jump through bureaucratic hoops in order to access the care they’ve earned through their service. “As a Navy combat veteran, I know that our responsibility to servicemembers doesn’t end when they return home,” said Kelly. “We’ve seen too many veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service have to fight for years to get the health care and benefits they’ve earned. We can’t let that happen to another generation of servicemembers.” “By establishing the landmark PACT Act, our nation finally helped generations of Veterans who suffered from toxic exposure in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan more easily access the care they needed after being stonewalled by bureaucratic tape for years,” said Duckworth . “With a new generation of troops being thrown into another war in the Middle East, our nation must learn the lessons from previous conflicts and proactively ensure Iran Veterans don’t suffer from those same mistakes. Our New PACT for Iran Veterans Act would ensure no servicemember fights a war overseas only to come home and be faced with another battle to get the care they’ve rightfully earned through their service. Congress must act to care for these heroes now—not later.” “The cost of war includes providing health care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxins during their military service,” said Blumenthal . “This legislation would build on the PACT Act to ensure all servicemembers sent into harm’s way, including recent veterans of the war with Iran, are able to receive the benefits they deserve.” “Our veterans deserve access to prompt, timely healthcare – regardless of the conflict and country where they serve for our country,” said King . “Just as the PACT Act represented a historical milestone for Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans, our New PACT for Iran Veterans Act will ensure that the VA recognizes the unique current toxic exposure risks of our service members sacrifice and guarantee they receive the support they have earned, without delay.” “The bipartisan PACT Act marked a historic step in ensuring that veterans and servicemembers exposed to toxic substances can get the care they need and deserve,” said Welch . “But President Trump’s reckless decision to throw our country into war in the Middle East means there’s a new generation of veterans facing conditions that could be hazardous to their health. We need to update our pact to servicemembers to ensure that Iran War Servicemembers and Veterans aren’t faced with red tape to get proper benefits and care once they come home.” “For too long, veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service have had to fight for the care and benefits they earned. The PACT Act was a historic step toward correcting that failure,” said Bennet . “We have a responsibility to ensure the men and women serving today in President Trump’s reckless Iran war do not face those same barriers when they come home. Congress must act now to ensure all future veterans can access their hard-earned health care and benefits without having to fight the VA.” “Donald Trump might not care, but the cost of war includes supporting our veterans when they come back home,” said Murray . “This legislation is a commonsense next step to expand the PACT Act to make sure our servicemembers who served in Iran continue to receive the care they need after their service is over. As I continue fighting to end the war—I want to be crystal clear that I won’t let this President leave American veterans in the dust.” “As federal law, the historic PACT Act resulted in over 115,000 claims filed in Pennsylvania so veterans exposed to toxins could rightfully get the care they need. Servicemembers currently in the Middle East supporting our mission in Iran will not be eligible to file claims,” said Fetterman . “We need to change that through this bill, uphold our end of the sacred promise to those who answered the call to serve, and ensure future veterans are not subjected to the same delays as those before them.” Background: The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022 following efforts from Kelly, a Gulf War veteran, who helped pass the legislation and spoke on the Senate floor in support of the bill. The law was one of the largest expansions of VA health care benefits in history. The New PACT for Iran Veterans Act would: Cut red tape for Iran war veterans by statutorily presuming toxic substance exposure for Iran War Veterans, helping streamline their access to health care and benefits at VA. The bill would ensure that federal law protects all Veterans who fought in Iran, including those who operated in Iranian airspace and territorial waters. Leave no veteran behind by requiring for the first time, that the VA’s Military Environmental Exposure Sub-Council (MEESC) conducts studies at least every five years to review all overseas assignments for toxic substance exposures. Additionally, when the military begins a contingency operation, the VA must commence a similar review of the locations from which servicemembers support this operation within 180 days. This would ensure the VA proactively looks into whether servicemembers are being exposed to toxic hazards, for current and future assignments. Enhance transparency at the VA by requiring the VA secretary to publicly explain their justification for any denial of a country that’s recommended for presumed toxic-exposures in these reviews, or any removal of existing presumptions. In addition to Kelly and Duckworth, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Patty Murray (D-WA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Click here to read full text.