Trone Votes to Honor our Promise to Toxic-exposed Veterans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2022
Contact: Sasha Galbreath, Sasha.Galbreath@mail.house.gov
Trone Votes to Honor our Promise to Toxic-exposed Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Trone (MD-06) issued the following statement upon the House passage of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which included Trone’s bill, the Fairly Assessing Service-related Toxic Exposure Residuals (FASTER) Presumptions Act:
“Veterans across the country, including the over 42,000 in my district, will receive expanded access to care and benefits through the Honoring our PACT Act. Today, I was proud to cast my vote to help get our veterans the help they deserve.
“Many of our veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during active service are now experiencing horrific health impacts, from aggressive cancers to chronic multisystem illnesses. To add insult to injury, the disability benefit claims process is cumbersome and places the burden to prove toxic exposure on veterans themselves.
“This is a sad reality compared to how this country treated its veterans after World War II, which included my father, who served as a U.S. Navy quartermaster in the Pacific. For him, and the millions of other American veterans, the G.I. Bill cared for the wounded and set service members up for success.
“It’s about time we stepped up to do the same. Let it be known: In this country, we protect our veterans and give them and their families the health care, benefits, and resources they earned.”
Trone introduced the FASTER Presumptions Act in May of 2021 to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs’ presumptive decision-making process, reduce the burden of proof for veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service, and ensure faster access to their VA disability benefits.
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 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.
Follow Congressman Trone at @RepDavidTrone for updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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