The US Senate passed the Honoring Our PACT Act on Tuesday night by a vote of 86-11, expanding health care for 3.5 million US veterans who have been exposed to toxic burns since the 9/11 era.
The legislation also covers health benefits for other veterans exposed to chemicals, such as Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, during their military service.
The measure was sent to the White House after Republicans blocked the legislation last week, objecting to the inclusion of $400 billion in mandatory spending that would not be subject to annual appropriations reviews — unlike the usual discretionary spending for federal agencies and programs that Congress reviews and approves annually.
Republicans argue that under the PACT Act, Democrats could theoretically spend $40 billion a year over 10 years on other needs unrelated to veterans care, as the $400 billion per decade authorization is considered mandatory.
But supporters of the bill noted that Republicans had previously supported the measure’s mandatory spending. Democrats argued that the GOP was changing its position because it was unhappy with a separate deal reached by Sens. Charles Schumer (DN.Y.) and Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) on climate change, health care and taxes.
The Republican Party was under tremendous pressure to back down from veterans who were camped out on the steps of the US Capitol. These veterans had a famous ally in former Daily Show host Jon Stewart.
Before the final passage vote, the Senate agreed to three amendments that control spending in the bill, prompting a number of Republicans to support it.
But those 11 GOP senators still voted against the package in its final passage. The Hill has reached all 11.
Senator Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)
Toomey led the opposition effort on the bill last week when he complained about mandatory spending, which he called a “budget gimmick” in the Senate.
“My concern with this bill has nothing to do with the intent of the bill,” Toomey said. “This budget gimmick is so unrelated to the actual issue with veterans, which is related to burn pits, that it’s not even in the House version of this bill.”
Senator Rand Paul (Kentucky)
Shortly before the Senate voted on Tuesday, Paul opposed the bill and said it would put the economy at risk.
“This bill would cost hundreds of billions of dollars at a time when the national debt is rising above $30 trillion and inflation is at a 40-year high,” Paul said on the Senate floor.
Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Crapo told The Hill that he has sponsored four other bills in the Senate that would address veterans exposed to toxic burns and related injuries.
In a statement, the senator said he is “committed to ensuring that health benefits and disability benefits are provided to veterans exposed to toxic substances while in service.”
Ultimately, he did not support the PACT Act because he said it authorized a “slush fund” in mandatory spending.
“I have a strong track record of supporting veterans to ensure they have access to high-quality health care, opportunities to thrive after their transition from the military, and protection of their Second Amendment rights,” Crapo said.
“I also remain committed to Idaho veterans affected by burn pits and toxic exposure, and will continue to support bipartisan legislation that can meet the necessary fiscal standards to ensure solvency and durability, not additional financial costs to the American people,” he added.
Senator Tom Tillis (North Carolina)
Tillis told the Raleigh News Observer that he has doubts about the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) ability to handle the backlog and wait times for veterans seeking care.
“Congress has an obligation to ensure that VA can effectively and efficiently implement any comprehensive toxic exposure legislation, and unfortunately, I continue to have reservations about the Department’s ability to do so,” he told the news outlet.
The PACT Act would help veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals at North Carolina military bases Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River.
Senator James Lankford (Oklahoma)
In a Facebook Live video Tuesday night, Lankford said the legislation “restricts access to outside doctors,” creating obstacles for veterans who want to seek care in places other than Virginia.
“Many want to go to a family doctor or one that’s closer to them,” Lankford said. “With many areas in rural Oklahoma, people have to drive a long way to get to a hospital in Virginia, and I’m very passionate about them getting to one that’s close to them.”
And like Tillis, the senator raised additional concerns about wait times, suggesting the bill increases wait periods in Virginia and doesn’t address the long backlog of veterans seeking care.
Senator Mike Lee (Utah)
The Hill sought comment from Lee’s office.
Sen. Cynthia Loomis (Wyo.)
On Tuesday night, Lummis said 168,000 vets are currently waiting for VA services, which she called “unacceptable.”
“If we pass the PACT Act as is, that number will jump to over a million,” she tweeted, proposing another bill from colleague Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) that would allow veterans to seek care at facilities in their communities.
Senator James Risch (Idaho)
A spokesman for Risch’s office said the senator is a strong supporter of veterans but does not support the $400 billion in mandatory spending.
“Unfortunately, Democrats have written a $400 billion hole in the discretionary budget that they can fill with spending that has nothing to do with veterans at all,” the spokesman said. “It is inappropriate to use a veterans bill as a backdoor to introduce massive amounts of unrelated spending.”
Senator Mitt Romney (Utah)
Romney’s office pointed to remarks the senator made in June about the legislation, when he expressed concern about adding “hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt” and implementing a “dramatic expansion of qualifying conditions that are not necessarily service-connected disabilities.”
“We absolutely must help veterans who have become ill as a direct result of exposure to toxic substances during their service. However, the scope and cost of this bill is astronomical and unjustified,” he said, according to remarks forwarded to The Hill.
“We have a collective responsibility to veterans who have served our country, and I would support legislation that better targets disability eligibility requirements based on scientific evidence and research,” the senator added.
Senator Richard Shelby (Alabama)
Shelby tweeted Tuesday night that he “remains a strong advocate for our veterans” but could not support the $400 billion mandatory spending provision.
“The PACT Act would reclassify nearly $400 billion in VA funding, allowing Democrats to instead spend that on their liberal wish list,” he wrote. “I want to support the PACT Act, but this budget gimmick needs to be fixed.”
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Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
In a Twitter thread Tuesday night, Tuberville said he was concerned about “the many provisions in the bill that require amendment to ensure VA can implement this law.”
“I want to know that the VA can implement this comprehensive bill in a fair and efficient manner, and I am not confident at this time that that is the case,” the senator wrote.
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