Protecting Our Gold Star Families Education Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the PACT Act and my bill contained within on burn pits.

Most of us here all know about Agent Orange and the horrible effects it had on our veterans in Vietnam. We also remember how long it took for Congress and the VA to respond and make sure our veterans had the care and benefits they needed.

The bill we will vote on today is a landmark piece of legislation that will address the Agent Orange of the post-9/11 generation: burn pits.

For anyone who doesn't know, burn pits are used to dispose of waste on a military base, usually abroad in a combat zone, with jet fuel used to light the fuse. For years, we have used these burn pits in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. I lived near one in Iraq on three tours.

Just as with Agent Orange, we have learned over the years that the toxins our servicemembers have been exposed to have horrible consequences, strange cancer diagnoses, respiratory issues that have affected millions of veterans, including those in Michigan.

This issue has been deeply personal to me as an Army wife and someone who lived near those burn pits while with the CIA.

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Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, for years, 9/11 veterans have walked into their local VA center only to be turned away.

Madam Speaker, one of the most important things I have worked on in my short 3\1/2\ years here is this bill. It is the biggest veterans' healthcare bill we have passed in decades.

Last week, I visited our local VA in Lansing--and they know it is coming--another 3.5 veterans will have access to healthcare because of this bill.

We do important things in this body all the time, but I think fewer are more important than this one we are going to vote on today.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle--I am glad many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have switched their positions--to now vote on this bill.

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