(U.S. Senate) — Under U.S. Senator Jon Tester’s PACT Act, more than 35,000 Montana veterans have been screened for toxic exposure. Tester’s PACT Act established toxic exposure screenings to ensure every toxic-exposed veteran is able to gain access to the health care and benefits they earned.

“Screening our veterans who were exposed to toxins during their military service ensures they receive the health care and benefits they have earned,” said Tester. “This is an important provision from the PACT Act, and I’m proud to see it at work helping screen tens of thousands of Montana veterans. This law is a game-changer for veterans, and I’ll keep fighting to see that the PACT Act continues to work for toxic-exposed veterans and their families.”

Required by the PACT Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began conducting toxic exposure screenings in November 2022 at VA medical centers and clinics nationwide to ensure veterans exposed to toxins are informed of the health effects of toxic exposure, provided early intervention for those at high-risk of certain health conditions, and connected with PACT Act benefits.

Tester championed the PACT Act and shepherded its passage through Congress in 2022. As Chairman, he fought tirelessly for years alongside veterans and Veterans Service Organizations in Montana and across the nation to deliver generations of toxic-exposed veterans and survivors their earned health care and benefits under the PACT Act. Named after Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson who died in 2020 from toxic exposure as a result of his military service, this law provides health care for Post-9/11 combat veterans, creates a framework for the establishment of future presumptions of service connection related to toxic exposure, expands VA’s list of health conditions presumed to be caused by toxic exposures, which opens the door to additional benefits for veterans, and improves resources to support claims processing.

Since the PACT Act was signed into law in August 2022, more than 156,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care under a PACT Act enrollment authority. VA has also received more than 1.8 million PACT Act-related claims and more than 1.1 million veterans and survivors are receiving PACT Act-related benefits.

Toxic-exposed veterans and survivors can apply today for health care and benefits at VA.gov/PACT or by calling 1-800-MYVA411.