Scott Votes to Expand Access to Care & Benefits to Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the H.R. 3967 – Honoring our PACT Act:

"Our veterans selflessly served to protect and defend our nation and many are now sick as a result of that service. The Honoring our PACT Act is a comprehensive and bipartisan legislative package that will ensure we keep our promises to our veterans and they receive the healthcare and benefits they have earned. This bill will create presumptions for many respiratory illnesses and cancers, suffered by our veterans during their military service due to exposure to Agent Orange, burn pits, and other airborne hazards. Therefore, veterans who served in specific places at a particular time will be presumed to have been exposed to toxic substances and automatically eligible to get the healthcare and benefits that they need. Critically, this bill also streamlines the Department of Veterans Affairs' decision-making process to ensure that veterans can get the assistance they need quickly. This is the least we can do to support our veterans who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom."