Dear Neighbor,An important PACT Act deadline is coming up!Last year, President Biden signed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act into law. This law helps connect veterans exposed to toxins with the benefits they have earned through their service. There is no deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits, but there is a deadline for an additional benefit the act provides.If you file your PACT Act claim or submit your intent to file by August 9, 2023, you may receive benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the date President Biden signed the bill into law. Veterans are of course able to submit their claims at any time, but to have your claim backdated, you must submit it by August 9.The PACT Act expanded VA health care opportunities and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, and post-9/11 era. It will provide generations of veterans, their families, and their survivors with the care and benefits they have earned. Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, the VA has delivered $1.4 billion in PACT Act benefits to:665,000 veterans who have applied for PACT Act-related benefitsMore than 3.9 million veterans who have received new toxic exposure screeningsMore than 287,000 veterans who have enrolled in VA health careAdditionally, beyond the health care benefits the PACT Act facilitates, this law provides a legal remedy for those who were harmed by living, working, or other exposure to water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987.For more information on PACT Act opportunities and available benefits, please consult the VA’s website or their PACT Act fact sheet.We have a duty to honor our veterans and ensure that they have access to the benefits they deserve. I am proud to have helped pass this historic legislation. Just as our military leaves no soldier behind on the battlefield, we must leave no veteran behind when they come home.If you have any trouble navigating this issue or these resources, or if you require assistance with any federal agency, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (703) 256-3071.