PACT ACT

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, or PACT Act, is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.  Fact sheet.

The PACT Act adds the following new presumptions:

Gulf War and post 9/11 Veteran eligibility
A presumption of exposure is assumed if you served on or after September 11, 2001, in any of these locations:

• Afghanistan
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Syria
• Uzbekisstan
• Yemen
• Airspace above any of these locations

On or after August 2, 1990, in any of these locations:

• Bahrain
• Iraq
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Airspace above any of these locations

VA has added more than 20 burn pit and other toxic exposure presumptive conditions based on the PACT Act.  This change expands benefits for Gulf War era and post 9/11 Veterans.

These cancers are now presumptive conditions:

• Brain cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancer of any type
• Glioblastoma
• Head cancer of any type
• Kidney cancer
• Lymphatic cancer of any type
• Lymphoma of any type
• Melanoma
• Neck cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Reproductive cancer of any type
• Respiratory (breathing-related) cancer of any type

These illnesses are now presumptive conditions:

• Asthma that was diagnosed after service
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Chronic rhinitis
• Chronic sinusitis
• Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolitis
• Emphysema
• Granulomatous disease
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Pleuritis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis

Agent Orange

Presumptive conditions:

• Hypertension
• Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

 5 new locations have been added to the list of presumptive locations:

• Any U.S. or Royal Thai military base in Thailand from January 9, 1962, through June 30, 1976
• Laos from December 1, 1965, through September 30, 1969
• Cambodia at Mimot or Krek, Kampong Cham Province from April 16, 1969, through April 30, 1969
• Guam or American Samoa or in the territorial waters off of Guam or American Samoa from January 9, 1962, through July 30, 1980
• Johnston Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll from January 1, 1972, through September 30, 1977

Radiation presumptive locations

There are 3 new response efforts added to the list of presumptive locations:

• Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll, from January 1, 1977, through December 31, 1980
• Cleanup of the Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons off the coast of Palomares, Spain, from January 17, 1966, through March 31, 1967
• Response to the fire onboard an Air Force B-52 bomber carrying nuclear weapons near Thule Air Force Base in Greenland from January 21, 1968, to September 25, 1968

(Source: PACT Act – Public Health (va.gov))

To speak with a Veterans Benefits Specialist about eligibility and filing a claim, visit our Service Program or call 800-446-4926, ext. 6450 to find your closest service office.