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With the link to cancer and other illnesses in mind, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a PACT Act expansion on January 8, 2025, dedicated to widening the access to benefits and care for veterans exposed to toxic substances.
This expansion will lower the burden of proof for veterans who had served in the following wars and conflicts, according to the VA’s website:
- Gulf War Veterans: Veterans who served in Somalia or the Southwest Asia theater of operations (which includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations) during the Persian Gulf War on or after Aug. 2, 1990.
- Post-9/11 Veterans: Veterans who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, or Uzbekistan and the airspace above these locations during the Gulf War on or after Sept. 11, 2001. This includes Veterans who served at the Karshi-Khanabad (K2) base in Uzbekistan after Sept. 11, 2001.
This expansion is said to lower the burden proof for veterans who suffer from acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis, urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers. This benefit also is eligible for survivors of veterans who have passed away due to these conditions.
White House Announces Official Statement on PACT Act Expansion
In his statement, President Joe Biden said this PACT Act expansion targets key priorities of his administration and their goals in supporting veterans.
“Among my key priorities for supporting veterans has been addressing the harmful toxic exposures that are too often associated with military service,” President Biden said in a statement. “Agent Orange, radiation, burn pits, and other hazards create devastating consequences for those exposed.”
The new authorities featured in this expansion of the PACT Act regarding urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers have been enacted as of January 2, 2025, and the authorities regarding acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, and myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis are active as of January 10, 2025.
Eligible veterans and their surviving families are encouraged to apply, including veterans and their surviving families with previously denied claims.
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