The Honoring Our PACT Act

UPDATE:

You now have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 14, 2023, to file your PACT Act claim—or submit your intent to file—and be eligible for benefits backdated to August 10, 2022. Take advantage of this extension and file now! Due to high volume, some Veterans have received error messages when submitting their intent to file PACT Act claims. If you received one of these messages, don’t worry! We have logged your intent to file and saved your effective date for benefits.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO FILE A CLAIM

Congressman Pappas fought for  the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which he helped shape as a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The PACT Act, which was signed into law last year, is a comprehensive legislative package that expanded VA health care eligibility to over 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic substances during their military service and finally recognizes conditions caused by exposure to burn pits and airborne hazards. 

This legislation created presumptions for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers, shifting the burden of proof off our veterans. This means that if a veteran served in a particular theater at a particular time, they will be presumed to be exposed to toxic substances and therefore potentially eligible for health care and benefits. Critically, this law also streamlines VA's presumption decision-making process, so that Congress does not have to keep intervening, and our veterans don't have to wait decades for help.

There is no deadline to apply for PACT Act-related benefits, but there is urgency. Most veterans and survivors who apply for benefits or submit an “Intent to File” by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 14, 2023, if granted, will have their benefits backdated to August 10th of last year – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.

New Hampshire veterans should contact Rep. Pappas’s office with questions or for assistance working with VA by calling (603) 285-4300 or visit https://pappas.house.gov/contact/email-me