Ruiz Urges House Passage of the Honoring Our Pact Act

Press Release

Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) urged a swift vote on the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021, or the Honoring our PACT Act, comprehensive legislation that seeks to address the full gamut of issues impacting toxic-exposed veterans' access to earned benefits and care. In a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano; Veterans Service Organizations; and advocates Jon Stewart, John Feal, and Rosie Torres of Burn Pits 360, Ruiz highlighted the urgent need to pass the Honoring our PACT Act, which includes his provision to establish a presumption of service connection for veterans suffering from cancers and illnesses due to their burn pit exposure.

"It is the heart and soul of this legislation to get burn pit-exposed veterans the care they have earned and deserve because that is our promise to take care of our veterans by establishing a presumption of service connection between their health and toxic exposures," Dr. Ruiz said earlier today. "You will hear that there are other pieces of legislation that could easily get signed into law. Those without a presumption of service connection are a farce and a slap in the face to the experience of Vietnam veterans who experienced Agent Orange and a slap in the face to VSOs who want services now. We cannot delay and we will not delay until they're dead…That is why we must pass the Honoring our PACT Act because that is our promise to take care of our veterans."

Today's press conference follows yesterday's State of the Union Address, during which President Biden called on Congress to pass legislation to address this urgent public health crisis. You can watch today's press conference in its entirety and Ruiz's full remarks here.

BACKGROUND

Ruiz's provision to establish a presumption of service connection for veterans suffering from rare cancers and diseases due to their burn pit exposure is based on his bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act.

Source