Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a presumption that certain diseases in eligible civilian federal employees were caused by exposure to burn pits and other toxic hazards during U.S. foreign contingency operations. It would make those illnesses easier to treat as work-related for disability or death claims when the employee served at least 30 total days in the operation since August 2, 1990.
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- Employees and federal law enforcement officers from the Departments of Justice, State, Defense, Treasury, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, and members of the intelligence community would see diseases on the listed conditions treated as incurred or aggravated by employment for claims. This applies when the worker served 30 or more days in the contingency operation.
- Families and survivors filing death claims for eligible employees would benefit from the same presumption for listed diseases, simplifying entitlement to compensation.
- The list of covered diseases must mirror the Department of Veterans Affairs list in 38 U.S.C. §1120(b). New diseases would be added only after VA finalizes its regulations, and Labor must add matching conditions by direct final rule within 90 days and maintain the list. Labor must report implementation progress and the number of eligible employees within 1 year of enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Help for federal workers exposed to burn pits
If enacted, this bill would treat certain diseases from burn pits and other toxic hazards as work-related for eligible federal disability or death claims. It would apply to employees of listed federal agencies, intelligence elements, and federal law enforcement officers who did at least 30 total days of duties in a contingency operation on or after August 2, 1990. The Labor Secretary's list of covered diseases would initially match the Department of Veterans Affairs list and include diseases VA already regulated. After enactment, Labor could only add diseases when VA first adds them under VA rules, and Labor must add any VA-finalized disease within 90 days. Claims filed on or after the date of enactment would be covered, and the Secretary of Labor would report to Congress within 1 year on implementation and the number of eligible employees.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Maloy
UT • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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