PALM BAY, Fla. — Congress passed the PACT Act, which was further reinforced by the recently passed law to raise the debt ceiling. That act included several funding provisions, one of which is a priority of President Biden’s 2024 budget: money for veteran healthcare.

Originally established in the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act of 2022, the Cost of War Toxic Exposure Fund (TEF) is written into law as non-discretionary spending.

The debt ceiling bill describes the new funding as “associated with exposure to environmental hazards, the expenses incident to the delivery of veterans’ health care and benefits associated with exposure to environmental hazards, and medical and other research relating to exposure to environmental hazards, as authorized by section 324 of title 38, United States Code.”

The news was welcome for veteran Marcus Smith, who recently entered civilian life after spending 30 years as an Airman in the U.S. Air Force. He turned 50 in January and said that having this type of healthcare support is important for vets like him who were exposed to toxic burn pits.

“You want to make sure that the next 50 years are going to be the best years of your life and you got to take care of your health,” Smith said. “So, having access to medical care and counselors and nurses and things like that are just very important.”

According to the new law, $20.3 billion will be available for the TEF starting on Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2028. Separately, $24.5 billion becomes available on Oct. 1, 2024, and lasts through Sept. 30, 2029.

Smith said the impact of the passage of the PACT Act last year is still fresh in his mind.

“I wouldn’t say that you would call it ‘excitement,’ but when you start to realize that well, ok, I can talk to somebody about things that I’m experiencing, maybe I can find out what’s going on,” Smith said.

Having deployed twice to Iraq during his service, Smith was eager to attend a seminar at his local Veterans Affairs clinic in Brevard County to learn more about how the PACT Act works in practicality. He said the opportunity was important, but noted that there were plenty of veterans on the Space Coast who were completely unaware that it was happening.

“This toxic situation goes back to like Vietnam with Agent Orange and a number of other issues that veterans for years have been dealing with and never really having their voice or a place to get that addressed,” Smith said.

As a part of the PACT Act, high blood pressure, or hypertension, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) are now both deemed to be presumptive conditions that create eligibility for disability compensation. These are linked back to veteran exposure to Agent Orange.

In order to address the PACT Act and other men’s health issues, Smith is hosting an event in November alongside the non-rofit, All Black, called the Men’s Health and Fitness Summit. The event will be open to all men, not just veterans.

“You may have issues you may not know where it’s coming from, what it’s all about, but you have to take responsibility for yourself in order to get that done,” Smith said.

For more information about the PACT Act and to apply for benefits, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.