President Joe Biden marked the one-year anniversary of a veterans' benefits bill with a speech in Utah.
Biden fought fiercely for passage of the PACT Act, which expands benefits for veterans and their family members, in large part due to the death of his son. Beau Biden died in 2015 from brain cancer after serving in the Iraq War.
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"My son Beau went [to Iraq] as the fittest guy in his unit, and came home, but died of glioblastoma," he said before taking a long pause. "It's personal for my family, but it's also personal for so many of you."
Speaking at a Veterans Affairs facility in Salt Lake City, Biden said he was determined to sign the PACT Act "come hell or high water" and no matter how long it took. Before the bill passed last August, he spoke with and sent pizza to a group of veterans who camped out at the Capitol building urging the Senate to pass it.
The president signed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or PACT Act, into law on Aug. 10, 2022. Robinson was a combat medic who died from a rare form of lung cancer.
The VA has processed 458,659 PACT Act-related claims since the bill was signed and is now at a record level of employees. More than 340,000 people have taken advantage of expanded benefits and screenings offered in the bill, according to the White House.
"The PACT Act is one of the most significant laws ever signed to help veterans exposed to toxic materials and to help their families recover as well as receive compensation," Biden said.
The White House touts the $797 billion bill as the biggest expansion of veterans benefits in more than 30 years. The bill received bipartisan support in Congress, especially in the Senate, where it passed 84-14.
Biden stressed the bipartisan nature of the act during the speech, saying, "don't tell me we can't get things done when we work together."
He compared the phenomenon of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans coming down with illnesses including asthma, bronchitis, and cancer to Vietnam veterans who suffered from exposure to Agent Orange a generation earlier. Similarly, he compared the PACT Act to the Agent Orange Act of 1991, which he voted for as a senator.
"The PACT Act means today's veterans and their families won't suffer the same frustrating delays and denials," he said.
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Biden mentioned that surviving military spouses can qualify for up to $2,300 per month for life if their significant other dies, and dependents can qualify for benefits including the GI Bill. The bill also includes provisions to cover mental illness along with physical ailments.
"There's no difference between having a mental health problem and breaking your arm or your leg," he said. "And you should not be worried about asking for help any more than you would if you broke your leg. We have to make sure people know there's nothing to be ashamed of in seeking that help."