Agent Orange of our generation:’ Bill would aid PFAS-exposed veterans

Original cosponsors include Democratic Reps. Brenda Lawrence, Debbie Dingell, Rashida Tlaib, Andy Levin, Haley Stevens, and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan; Brendon Boyle and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania; Ro Khanna of California and Antonio Delgado of New York.

The Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act (VET PFAS Act) would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to cover treatment for certain health conditions related the exposure to PFAS chemicals — a ubiquitous problem at military bases around the county where chemical-based firefighting foam was used in training and emergencies.

Under the bill, several illnesses associated with PFAS exposure would be considered “service-connected” disabilities, making veterans and their families eligible for disability payments and medical treatment from the VA without forcing them through an onerous process to prove a connection between their symptoms and exposure to contaminants.