Stansbury touts new health benefits at Veterans event
PACT act promises care for service members exposed to toxic chemicals
PACT act promises care for service members exposed to toxic chemicals
PACT act promises care for service members exposed to toxic chemicals
Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury attended a Veterans Resource Fair Saturday with many ways the government helps military veterans on her mind. But there was one, in particular, she wanted to bring attention to.
"Last year, we passed the PACT Act, which is the largest expansion of veterans benefits since the passing of the GI Bill," Stansbury told KOAT. "This bill will extend health care to millions of veterans who've been exposed to toxic chemicals during their time in service, going all the way back to the Vietnam War -- whether it's our veterans who served in World War Two, our code talkers, our Vietnam veterans, those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq – we're here to help all of our veterans get all the resources they need access [to]-- health care, if they're having housing issues, whatever their needs. That's why we're here today."
The event at Central New Mexico Community College included a presentation on the PACT Act by Veterans Administration Regional Director Cesar Romero, and others offered details on the legislation to designed to expand health care access to an estimated 3.5 million veterans, of whom homeless veterans are the most vulnerable.
"We know that veterans homelessness is one of the biggest challenges that many of our vets face," Stansbury said. "And so this last year, we secured funding to help build a transitional housing facility that will work with the VA to make sure those who are housing insecure in their families have a place to go here in Albuquerque and in the [2nd Congressional] District."
The federally funded Veterans Integration Centers Transitional Housing Program provides housing for families, of four or fewer, for up to one year. In that time period, it helps them to build an achievable plan for housing and financial independence.
The PACT Act's formal name is The Sergeant 1st Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Bill, named for an Air Force veteran who died in 2020 at age 39 as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals from a burn dump in Iraq.