February 20, 2024

Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar Press VA to Extend PACT Act Benefits to Panama Canal Zone Veterans

WASHINGTON – On Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) led a bipartisan group of 17 members of the House of Representatives in a letter urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand benefits and services for veterans who developed cancer and other health conditions after exposure to toxic herbicide during service in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ).

“As the Department of Defense routed herbicide to Southeast Asia in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many vessels offloaded these toxic chemicals at U.S. bases in the Panama Canal to clear outgrowths of vegetation in the area. Available records and veteran accounts of their service corroborate the presence of Agent Orange and Agent Purple in the PCZ. At least 400 veterans who served in the PCZ have now developed cancer, heart disease, or other health issues consistent with herbicide exposure. However, they have been consistently denied the disability compensation and recognition they desperately need and deserve. After reviewing the relevant records and veteran testimonies, we believe that a clear link exists between service in the PCZ and health conditions consistent with herbicide exposure… We strongly urge you to use the processes within the PACT Act to provide PCZ Veterans with the compensation they earned and need. We look forward to working together to ensure all our veterans receive the compensation they deserve,” the members wrote.

In 2022, Congress passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act, which extended the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide exposure to veterans who served offshore of Vietnam and near the Korean DMZ. While the PACT Act did not extend the same presumption to PCZ veterans, it did provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with the authority and independence to expand service-connected presumption to eligible groups of veterans. In Friday’s letter, the members urged VA Secretary Denis McDonough to use his authority to extend PACT Act benefits to PCZ veterans.

To permanently support the needs of PCZ veterans, Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar have also introduced the Panama Canal Zone Veterans Act, which would establish a statutory presumption of service connection for more than a dozen illnesses and conditions associated with exposure to herbicide in the PCZ between 1958-1999.

Members who joined Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar in sending the letter include: Reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Kat Cammack (FL-3), André Carson (IN-7), Greg Casar (TX), Danny Davis (IL-7), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Al Green (TX-9), Thomas Kean (NJ-7), Susie Lee (NV-3), Brian Mast (FL-18), Morgan McGarvey (KY-19), James Moylan (GU), Eleanor Norton (DC), Jamie Raskin (MD-8), Dina Titus (NV-1), and David Trone (MD-6).

The full letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary McDonough,

As you are aware, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 created a new statutory process for establishing presumption of service-connected disabilities for veterans. Specifically, Section 202 of the PACT Act implemented a new framework in Chapter 11 of Title 38 U.S.C (38 U.S.C.§§1171-1176) to establish, modify, or remove presumptions of service connection based on toxic exposure, including locations. As you move forward with the rulemaking processes to implement the PACT Act, we urge you to establish a presumption of service-connected disability for veterans who served in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ) between January 1, 1958, and December 1999 and developed diseases consistent with herbicide exposure.

As the Department of Defense routed herbicide to Southeast Asia in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many vessels offloaded these toxic chemicals at U.S. bases in the Panama Canal to clear outgrowths of vegetation in the area. Available records and veteran accounts of their service corroborate the presence of Agent Orange and Agent Purple in the PCZ. At least 400 veterans who served in the PCZ have now developed cancer, heart disease, or other health issues consistent with herbicide exposure. However, they have been consistently denied the disability compensation and recognition they desperately need and deserve. After reviewing the relevant records and veteran testimonies, we believe that a clear link exists between service in the PCZ and health conditions consistent with herbicide exposure.

With the passage of the PACT Act, Congress fully recognized the importance of expanding the presumption of service-connected disability to veterans who served in areas beyond mainland Vietnam. Congress has extended these presumptions before, notably with the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (P.L. 116-23), which extended the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide exposure to veterans who served offshore of Vietnam and veterans who served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Notably with the PACT Act, Congress granted the VA authorities and independence to expand service-connected presumptions to veterans.

We strongly urge you to use the processes within the PACT Act to provide PCZ Veterans with the compensation they earned and need. We look forward to working together to ensure all our veterans receive the compensation they deserve.