American Legion, members of Congress to honor PACT Act anniversary

The American Legion will host a special panel discussion Thursday on Capitol Hill in conjunction with the second anniversary of the passage of the Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promising to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act.  

In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan legislation, which was championed by The American Legion. The law has ushered in a range of VA health-care options and benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxins.  

On Thursday, The American Legion will foster a discussion on how the VA has reached over 1 million veterans in screenings for toxic exposure and what efforts are underway to efficiently triage veterans who are identified as exposed to burn pits and experiencing symptoms. 

This special panel discussion will feature the wife of Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson, Danielle Robinson, members of Congress, VA’s executive director for the PACT Act, an Iraq War veteran and medical professionals who have studied toxic exposure. American Legion Legislative Director Julia Mathis will moderate the panel. 

The event will be from noon to 1 p.m. July 11 at the House Veterans Affairs Committee Room, 364 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. 

Among those expected to participate are:

• Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee member

• Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., House Veterans Affairs Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee ranking member

• Panel participants such as retired Army Col. Steve Miska, who is VA’s executive director of the PACT Act; Danielle Robinson, the wife of Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson; Army veteran Cynthia Daniels, who suffered toxic exposure in Iraq; Dr. Robert Miller, who connected toxic lung injuries in veterans to exposure to burn pits; and Dr. Trishul Siddharthan, who has conducted clinical trials on toxic exposures.