Congresswoman Lee Statement Honoring Veterans Day
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) released the following statement commemorating Veterans Day.
"This Veterans Day, let us recognize the courageous servicemembers and their families who have sacrificed so much on behalf of our nation.
"I am the proud daughter of a former servicemember, Lt. Col. Garvin Tutt. My father fought in two wars, even while facing discrimination as an African American in the military. Despite experiencing racism both at home and abroad, my father remained committed to serving our country—a circumstance and selfless act that manyveteranstodaycan relate to.
“Our veterans deserve more than just a ‘thank you’ today—they need our action. In Congress, I have continued to fight for investment in the well-being of our brave servicemembers. Congress passed the PACT Act last year, and we’re already seeing lower healthcare costs for thousands of brave heroes across the country. The East Bay is home to over 20,000 veterans, and I strongly encourage each and every one to submit a claim.”
In August 2022, Congress passed Ranking Member Takano’s Honoring Our PACT Act, which finally recognized in law the association between burn pit exposure among veterans and certain ailments, including many cancers. Since President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, VA has delivered more than $2.46 billion dollars in PACT Act benefits to veterans. Additionally, 1,103,860 total PACT Act-related claims have been submitted, more than 4.6 million veterans have received new toxic exposure screenings, and more than 426,000 new veterans have enrolled in VA health care.
Eligible veterans are encouraged to submit claims as soon as possible. Full eligibility information can be found at: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-vabenefits/