ALLENTOWN, P.A. – Congresswoman Susan Wild is urging veterans to apply for expanded benefits under the PACT Act ahead of Wednesday, August 9th.
Veterans who submit their “intent to file” for PACT Act benefits by August 9th will be eligible for retroactive benefits for the past year the law has been in effect. For too long, veterans had the burden of proving their illnesses were caused by exposure to toxic chemicals during their service. The PACT Act expands benefits for veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service by adding new presumptive conditions for toxic substances including radiation, Agent Orange, Gulf War toxins, and burn pit exposures.
“Last year, I pushed to pass the PACT Act into law to fulfill our promise to the brave men and women who sacrificed for our country,” said Rep. Susan Wild. “Now, I’m working to raise awareness of the upcoming August 9th deadline: the date by which veterans must submit their ‘intent to file’ to be eligible for a year of backdated benefits. These are benefits veterans earned, are owed, and I’m working to ensure they receive.”
There is no deadline to file for future benefits under the PACT Act – but by submitting an intent to file for August 9, 2023, eligible veterans can receive benefits backdated for the past year.
Rep. Wild is Urging PA-07 Veterans to File for Benefits They Deserve:
Lehigh Valley News: “U.S. Rep. Susan Wild is urging veterans and their survivors to file for expanded benefits in the next two weeks or risk missing out on a year's worth of support.”
- “Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, voted last summer for the PACT Act, a bipartisan bill that made it easier for veterans who served in Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, Vietnam and other locations to receive health benefits for specific ailments. But nearly a year after President Joe Biden signed the legislation, Wild is concerned many of her constituents will miss out on a year's worth of benefits they are entitled to.”
- “The three-term congresswoman speculated that locals may not be aware of the law or may be turned off by failed past efforts to receive health benefits. Compiling the medical history and service records to file a successful claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs has long been challenging. She recalled the difficulties her father had qualifying for benefits for his hearing loss that she attributed to his Air Force service.”
The Morning Call: “[T]he Lehigh Valley’s congresswoman and other veterans advocates are trying to get the word out before an August deadline…”
- “‘I want to thank every veteran for their service to our country,’ U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said in a statement to The Morning Call. ‘If you or a loved one may have been exposed to toxic substances while serving … I highly encourage you to file for expanded benefits under the PACT Act.’”
- “Wild was a sponsor and advocate for the PACT Act when it passed last year.”
- “The PACT Act makes more than 3 million veterans eligible for additional health benefits. If you sign up by Aug. 9, you will be eligible for a year of retroactive compensation.”
- “U.S. Congresswoman from the Lehigh Valley, Susan Wild, has a message for veterans not sure if they are eligible for medical help…”
- “‘Go ahead and file anyway. The presumption is going to be that, if you've served in one of the affected locations, during affected years, you will be presumed that your medical condition relates to your military service. Which is a flip from the way it's been done in the past with the VA,’ Wild said.”
Blue Ridge Cable TV: “Congresswoman Susan Wild: ‘Just File!’”
- “Congresswoman Susan Wild tells us that of the 44,000 veterans in the 7th district, only 735 claims have been filed.”
- “Congresswoman Wild says the online process is pretty straightforward. ‘I went online because I wanted to know just how easy it is. The very first thing you’re going to see when you go to VA.gov is information about the PACT Act. You click on that, the next page takes you right to the phone number, or it takes you to a very simple online form, so that you have then filed your intent to seek benefits.’”
- “If in doubt, file. There’s no penalty if you file and it later turns out that you didn’t serve in the right kind of place to be entitled to these benefits or have the right kind of disability… Just file!”
To learn more about PACT Act benefits or to submit an intent to file, veterans should visit the VA website. Anyone with questions or in need of assistance to apply for benefits can contact Rep. Wild’s Allentown, Lehighton, or Easton offices.
Information for Offices of Veterans Affairs across PA-07 are listed below:
Carbon County — 76 Susquehanna St., Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 — 570-325-3986
Lehigh County — 17 S. 7th St., Allentown, PA 18101 — 610-782-3295
Monroe County — 1 Quaker Plaza, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 — 570-517-3187
Northampton County — 2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18020 — 610-829-4875
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