Renewing our PACT Act of 2026

Presumed burn pit illnesses for federal employees

If enacted, this bill would create a presumption that certain diseases were caused or worsened by your federal job when you file a FECA disability or death claim. You would be eligible if you worked for DOJ, State, Defense, Homeland Security, Treasury, Commerce, or Agriculture, or if you were in the intelligence community or a federal law enforcement officer, and you did at least 30 total days of duties in a country or territory during a U.S. contingency operation on or after August 2, 1990. The Labor Department would keep a list of covered diseases that initially matches the VA list in 38 U.S.C. 1120(b). VA must add a disease first, and then Labor would add it within 90 days by direct final rule. The presumption would apply to FECA claims filed on or after the date of enactment.