{"id":126185,"date":"2024-05-21T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/05\/21\/more-than-1-million-vets-have-received-new-toxic-exposure-benefits\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:24:35","slug":"more-than-1-million-vets-have-received-new-toxic-exposure-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2024\/05\/21\/more-than-1-million-vets-have-received-new-toxic-exposure-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 1 million vets have received new toxic exposure benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Veterans Affairs officials <\/a>have now approved more than 1 million claims through the sweeping toxic exposure legislation<\/a> signed into law 22 months ago, a milestone White House officials praised as evidence they are \u201cdoing better\u201d for veterans seeking help with their service injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Joe Biden will formally announce that the department has reached the 1 million benchmark during an event in New Hampshire later today. The disability claims <\/a>are related to benefits expanded in the 2022 PACT Act, which includes injuries from military toxins like chemical defoliants and burn pit smoke<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a press call Monday, VA Secretary Denis McDonough<\/a> praised the president for his aggressive approach to the law\u2019s implementation, saying it has allowed his department to reach large numbers of beneficiaries faster than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe pushed us to implement that new law quickly and to its fullest extent, including expanding VA care to new groups of vets years earlier than envisioned [in the statute],\u201d he said. \u201cThe PACT Act is making tangible life-changing differences for the vets and survivors we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t