Rep. Trone’s Bill to Ensure Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances Can Access VA Benefits Easier Clears Committee and Heads to House Floor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2021
Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov
Rep. Trone’s Bill to Ensure Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances Can Access VA Benefits Easier Clears Committee and Heads to House Floor
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) announced that his bill, the Fairly Assessing Service-related Toxic Exposure Residual (FASTER) Presumptions Act, successfully passed through the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and will be making its way to the House floor for a vote. Trone is a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and introduced the bill in April to reform the VA’S presumptive decision-making process and help veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service access their VA disability benefits much faster.
Trone’s bill is a part of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2021, sweeping legislation unveiled last month with Jon Stewart focusing on how toxic exposure and burn pits have affected veterans and their care at VA facilities.
“I’m proud to announce that the FASTER Presumptions Act is heading to the House floor,” said Congressman Trone. “We must modernize VA’s claims system to prevent health conditions from worsening as a result of disability benefit delays. In this country, we protect our veterans and give them the health care, benefits, and resources they deserve.”
Far too many servicemembers have been exposed to environmental hazards and other toxic substances during their military service. Exposure to these contaminants can have long-lasting health effects including cancer, birth defects, infertility, respiratory conditions, and more. The FASTER Presumptions Act would ensure that veterans don’t have to take part in a lengthy VA claims process, and ultimately means that those with health conditions can receive benefits much faster.
For bill text, click here.
For a summary of the bill, click here.
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees in the 117th Congress and previously served on the Education and Labor and Foreign Affairs Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.
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