February 28, 2022

Chairman Takano: "Now is the time for sincere movement toward keeping our promise, not sincere gestures."

Chairman Takano Advocates for Passage of Honoring our PACT Act

WASHINGTON, D.C—Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif) delivered remarks at the Rules Committee Meeting on his bill, H.R. 3967, as amended, the Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive Toxics Act or the Honoring our PACT Act that will be considered on the House floor this week. This legislation will finally recognize military toxic exposure—from contaminated water at military bases, airborne hazards from burn pits, or radiation from atomic testing—as a cost of war.

 

 Full video of Chairman Takano’s remarks

 

Chairman Takano’s remarks as prepared:  

 

I am here today in support of The Honoring our PACT Act of 2021.

 

As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I have heard from countless veterans across this country who, without hesitation after 9/11, raised their right hand to protect and defend this nation, and are now sick as a result of that service. We made a pact with these individuals. A pact, I am afraid to say, we have not yet honored.

 

The legislation before this Committee today will help fix that.

 

Unlike other pieces of legislation in this space, the PACT Act offers a comprehensive solution. Now is the time for sincere movement toward keeping our promise, not sincere gestures.

 

First, the PACT Act will open critical access to VA healthcare to more than 3.5 million veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other hazardous materials in the line of duty.

 

Second, it clearly establishes a presumption of service connection for over 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers. This is a key pillar of this legislation-- its passage into law is a clear recognition by this Congress and the American people that veterans were exposed to toxic substances and they are suffering because of it.

 

The burden to prove toxic exposure should not be on our veterans and we will no longer make veterans fight the government for this recognition.

 

Access to culturally competent care is so critical for these veterans. I’m sure all of you have heard harrowing stories from constituents who have struggled to receive access to the healthcare these unique conditions require.

 

Third, this legislation will reform VA’s presumptive decision-making process. A process that has long been criticized by key stakeholders for its lack of transparency and speed. The bill requires VA to establish a model that will have firm deadlines and a transparent and responsive process for identifying new illnesses and diseases positively associated with in-service toxic exposure—without the need for congressional intervention.

 

Critically, it will ensure that there is meaningful input from veterans and the scientific community throughout this process.

 

Finally, this legislation also enhances VA’s research on toxic exposures and its long-term effects. While it will have immediate impacts on how veterans are treated for these conditions, as with VA’s other research efforts, the broader public may see advances in medicine as a result too.

 

Unfortunately, I fear some in this room today will seek to dismiss this legislation. I will address some of those potential reasons but none of these give me any pause or any hesitation about the need to pass this legislation. I have no doubt that it is the right, the moral, and the patriotic thing to do.

 

As to criticisms about cost: To those critics I would say, over the past twenty years, Congress has made the choice to spend trillions of dollars on war—conflicts that have ultimately caused many veterans irreparable harm.

 

The true cost of war carries on for decades after the conflict ends—for many toxic-exposed veterans, they are STILL in the heat of battle today. A lesson we seem to fail to remember time and time again. Toxic-exposed veterans have held up their part of the pact—now it’s our turn.

 

Regarding criticisms about implementation: I know there are always concerns about the Department of Veterans Affairs’ ability to implement new programs. This is true across the government. I lead a committee that is overseeing VA and demanding accountability every day.

 

There is no question that there is going to be more work for VA, more claims to process, more care to deliver, but that does not mean for one second that we don’t move forward. As the House of Representatives, we can’t just stand around and lament the issues, we must do something. We have the power to resource VA and ensure that it has what it needs to successfully implement this bill. I’ve worked with Chairwoman DeLauro to ensure that authorizers and appropriators are in this together. I cannot in good conscience meet with another veteran cut down in the prime of life by cancer or a respiratory illness and say, “I’m sorry, you have to wait 40 years while Congress figures it out.”

 

I can’t believe that any member of this House would abide that answer and neither should our veterans.

 

As to any criticisms about process: This bill has been through the full gamut, it was carefully considered in Committee at a legislative hearing, marked up, and then in January of this year the Committee held a public roundtable to elicit even more feedback from stakeholders and my colleagues across the aisle. I have made every effort to listen to and address meaningful feedback.

 

Last week a broad coalition of 42 stakeholders, submitted a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy calling for swift passage of the PACT Act. I ask unanimous consent to enter their letter into the record.

 

In that letter, they acknowledge anything less than the full PACT Act being considered on the floor would be unacceptable. I couldn’t agree more.

 

It is very clear that our stakeholders - veterans and the Veteran Service Organization community – want this bill to pass.

 

Again, I wish to thank Chairman McGovern and Ranking Member Cole for considering this legislation in the Rules Committee today, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation.

 

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