The White House is celebrating a new milestone: The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved 1 million claims from service members affected by illnesses associated with toxic exposures at military sites.
In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the PACT Act, or the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, which set aside $280 billion to compensate for 23 illnesses linked to dangerous chemicals from burn pits or other contaminated sources.
More than 1.3 million PACT Act-related claims have been processed, resulting in an approval rate of around 75 percent, senior administration officials said on a press call.
“The days when VA moved too slowly to recognize the harmful effects of toxic exposure are over,” Denis McDonough, the Veterans Affairs secretary, said Monday.
