Ranking Member Takano and Democratic Members Call for VA Action on Treating and Compensating Veterans Exposed to Blast Overpressure

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39), joined by 21 House Democrats urged Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough to use existing legal authority under the Honoring Our PACT Act and other laws to help veterans who have Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) from blast overpressure. Recent research and reporting point to occupational blast exposure is causing severe and long-term damage to the health of servicemembers and veterans.  

In a letter to the VA Secretary, House Democratic Members said, “Servicemembers that repeatedly conduct breaching and fire heavy weapons such as mortars, artillery, and tanks are exposed to excessive amounts of low-level blast overpressure when firing these weapon systems. Most of these exposures occur in the training environment. This could amount to thousands of exposures over a single enlistment, and a frighteningly high number over a career.” 

Following the successful implementation of the PACT Act, that created new presumptive conditions and linked certain diseases caused by toxic exposure to military service, the Ranking Member and Democratic Members of Congress are asking the Secretary and VA to take action on blast overpressure.  

The letter emphasizes the need to act quickly, in concert with the Department of Defense, to begin the process of assessing and analyzing the effects these blast exposures have had on generations of veterans. Those veterans who have TBIs from blast overpressure deserve timely access to healthcare and benefits they have earned. 

The full letter can be found here. 

Ranking Member Takano was joined by: Representatives Sanford Bishop, Mike Thompson, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Christopher Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Timothy Kennedy, Ro Khanna, Greg Landsman, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Morgan McGarvey, Seth Moulton, Frank Mrvan, Wiley Nickel, Jimmy Panetta, Chris Pappas, Delia Ramirez, Patrick Ryan, and Mikie Sherrill. 

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