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On August 2, 2022, the U.S. Senate passed S. 3373, the "Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022" (PACT Act), which passed the House on July 13, 2022.
The bill was signed into law by President Biden.
This bill is an extraordinary expansion of care for an estimated 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances while serving in campaigns ranging from Vietnam through Iraq and Afghanistan, both on the battlefield and at home.
Veterans Benefits Administration
For the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the bill provides an automatic presumption of service connection for veterans who have served in specified locations during defined periods.
- This expansion of service connection presumptions is not only of direct benefit to veterans exposed to toxins but also helps our VBA members process claims more expeditiously and accurately.
- The expected influx of new claims will further underscore the need to quickly fill the 2,000 claims processor positions at VBA authorized by previous legislation and additional FTE to handle the claims backlog and newly eligible claims.
- Claims processors will also receive specialized training on processing new claims authorized under this bill.
Veterans Health Administration
For the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the bill authorizes funds for 31 new medical facilities in 19 different states. These new and current facilities will require additional FTE to handle the increased demand for care across VA medical facilities.
- Congress requires the Secretary to provide reports on how and where the VA meets that increased demand. This process will further highlight the urgent need to fill current VHA vacant positions and authorize additional VHA FTE.
- VHA medical personnel will be provided "education and training to identify, treat, and assess the impact on veterans of illnesses related to toxic exposures," which will further improve the world-class healthcare veterans receive at the VA.
Human Resource (HR) Modernization
AFGE will continue to advocate for the reversal of the harmful centralization of HR functions brought about by HR Modernization and the return of HR personnel to the medical centers to allow for direct interaction with our members and hiring officials.
The bill requires the Secretary to improve HR functions by:
- "establishing qualifications for each human resources position with the Department,"
- "establish standardized performance metrics for each such position,"
- regularly report to Congress on the progress of these actions. This report aims to help manage VA's ongoing problems with Human Resources (HR) and its deeply flawed "HR Modernization."
- The Secretary must create systems to "monitor the hiring and other [HR] actions that occur at the local, regional, and national levels of the Department to improve the performance of those actions."
The signing of the PACT Act is a momentous win for veterans, including many AFGE members at the VA and throughout government. The bill will also greatly benefit the VA's healthcare and workforce. Read more about the PACT Act HERE.
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