NOW TO THE REASON WE'RE HERE AND THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON THAT
WE'VE ASSEMBLED IN THIS ROOM IN A LONG TIME.
DANIELLE, WHEN YOU WERE HERE FOR THE STATE OF THE UNION I'D HOPED
THAT YOU'D BE BACK FOR THIS BILL SIGNING.
IT TURNS OUT, THAT'S WORKING AND MOM, I REMEMBER HOW STRONGLY
SUPPORTIVE YOU WERE OF THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ALL OF THE
WAY WHEN I MET YOU AT A BOOK SIGNING A LONG TIME AGO, AND I
AM JUST IN AWE OF YOUR FAMILY'S COURAGE.
I REALLY MEAN THAT. THROUGH THE PAIN YOU FOUND
PURPOSE TO DEMAND THAT WE DO BETTER AS A NATION AND TODAY WE
ARE. BRIELLE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU
MISS YOUR DADDY, BUT HE'S WITH YOU ALL THE TIME.
HE'S INSIDE YOU. HE'S GOING TO WHISPER IN YOUR
EAR LOTS OF TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE.
YOU'LL WONDER WHAT DADDY WANTS YOU TO DO AND HE'S GOING TO BE
THERE. HE'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
YOU SEE THE GUY THAT YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO?
THAT'S MY GRANDSON. HIS DADDY LOST TO THE SAME BURN
PITS AND HE KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, BUT GUESS WHAT?
YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND YOU'LL BE REALLY, REALLY STRONG.
IT'S HARD TO TAKE CARE OF MOMMY AND A GRANDMA, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO
DO IT, OKAY? ALL RIGHT.
TO THE VETERANS AND FAMILIES HERE TODAY AND FOR ALL THOSE
AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE CAN NEVER FULLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
AND YOUR SACRIFICE AND THAT'S NOT HYPERBOLE AND THAT'S LITERAL
FACT. LESS THAN 1% OF YOU, LESS THAN
1% OF YOU RISK EVERYTHING TO DEFEND 99% OF THE POPULATION, 1%
RISK 99%. WE OWE YOU, YOU'RE THE BACKBONE
AND YOU'RE THE STEAL AND YOU'RE THE VERY FIBER THAT MAKES THIS
COUNTRY WHAT IT IS AND THAT'S NOT HYPERBOLE.
THAT'S A FACT. AS A NATION, WE HAVE MANY
OBLIGATIONS AND I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
WE HAVE MANY OBLIGATIONS AND ONLY ONE TRULY SACRED OBLIGATION
TO QUIP THOSE WE SEND INTO HARM'S WAY AND TO CARE FOR THEM
AND THEIR FAMILIES WHEN THEY COME HOME.
THAT'S -- WE HAVE A LOT OF OBLIGATIONS AND THAT'S A TRULY
SACRED OBLIGATION WE HAVE. TODAY --
[ APPLAUSE ] >> TODAY WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER
TO FULFILLING THAT SACRED OBLIGATION WITH THE BILL I'M
ABOUT TO SIGN INTO LAW. THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT LAW
OUR NATION HAS EVER PASSED TO HELP MILLIONS OF VETERANS WHO
ARE EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES DURING THEIR MILITARY SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, SECRETARY McDONOGH CAN TELL YOU, I WAS GOING TO GET
THIS DONE COME HELL OR HIGH WATER.
THIS WAS THE FIRST THING -- AS A LOT OF STAFF KNOWS THAT'S TRUE.
IT'S PART OF MY AGENDA THAT I ANNOUNCED IN THE STATE OF THE
UNION ADDRESS. I ANNOUNCED FOUR THINGS THAT ALL
AMERICANS CAN AGREE ON. ONE WAS BEATING THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC. TWO IS TACKLING THE MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS WE FACE AS A NATION AS A CONSEQUENCE THAT'S
AN EPIDEMIC AND THREE, SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS.
BIG ISSUES THAT UNITE US. WE'RE ALWAYS BEING TOLD THAT
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN'T WORK TOGETHER.
WHEN I RAN I SAID ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS RUNNING WAS TO
UNITE THE COUNTRY AND I WAS CRITICIZED FOR BEING NAIVE.
THAT WAS THE OLD DAYS, YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT. WE NEVER HAVE FAILED TO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES WE CAN DISAGREE ON, BUT THERE ARE
ISSUES WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY REMIND US THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR THIS
FOR SO MANY YEARS. VETERANS, SURVIVING FAMILIES AND
SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS AND ADVOCATES LIKE ROSIE TORRES AND
JON STEWART AND JON, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
I WANTED TO COME UP AND HANG OUT IN THE CAPITOL STEPS AND THE
SECRET SERVICE SAID I WOULD BE A PAIN IN THE NECK.
AT LEAST WE DID A LITTLE VIDEO ON THERE, BUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE,
JON, MATTERS AND YOU KNOW IT DOES.
YOU SHOULD KNOW. IT REALLY, REALLY MATTERS.
YOUR REFUSAL TO LET ANYBODY FORGET, YOU REFUSED TO LET
ANYONE FORGET AND WE OWE YOU BIG, MAN.
WE OWE YOU BIG. [ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ] >> ALL THE REST OF YOU, YOU
NEVER GAVE UP THE FIGHT. YOU NEVER QUIT.
YOU NEVER STOPPED NO MATTER WHAT YOU WERE TOLD.
THINK ABOUT IT. THINK ABOUT HOW DISTANT THIS
LOOKED FIVE YEARS AGO, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK SENATORS TESTER AND JERRY MORGAN.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE IN A FOX HOLE AND YOU WANT SOMEONE WITH
YOU, YOU WANT TESTER IN THAT HOLE WITH YOU.
WHERE ARE YOU, JOHN? IS JOHN HERE?
[ APPLAUSE ] THE ONLY PROBLEM IS JOHN MAY TRY
TO BRING HIS COMBINE IN THE FOX HOLE WITH YOU.
JOHN BOZMAN AND KRISTEN GILLIBRAND AND TACANO AND ALL OF
THE OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO SUPPORTED THIS BILL, MANY OF
WHOM ARE HERE TODAY. ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED A HORRIBLE LESSON IN VIETNAM WHICH
MANY OF YOU FOUGHT. AFTER VIETNAM HOW HARMFUL
EFFECTS TO EXPOSURE OF AGENT ORANGE TOOK YEARS TO MANIFEST
ITSELF IN OUR VETERANS LEAVING TOO MANY VETERANS UNABLE TO
ACCESS THEY CARE THEY NEEDED AND DESERVED.
THAT'S WHY I ALONG WITH OTHERS CO-SPONSORED THE AGENT ORANGE,
THAT LED THE GROUNDWORK FOR HOW THE VA ADDRESSES ENVIRONMENT
ALEX POESH YENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE FOR THE BILL I'M ABOUT
TO SIGN. THEY WERE BREATHING TOXIC SMOKE
FROM BURN PITS. BECAUSE I WAS VICE PRESIDENT AND
CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN RELATIONS BEFORE THAT I WAS IN
AND OUT OF IRAQ OVER 20 TIMES, AND ALL OF THOSE PLACES AND YOU
COULD ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF IT IN THE AIR.
BURN PITS THE SIZE OF FOOTBALL FIELDS, AN INCINERATED WASTE WAR
SUCH AS TIRES, POISONOUS CHEMICALS, JET FUEL AND SO MUCH
MORE I WON'T EVEN MENTION, AND A LOT OF THE HOOCHES AND A LOT OF
THE PLACES WHERE OUR SOLDIERS WOULD SLEEP IN WERE A QUARTER
MILE, HALF MILE AWAY FROM IT AND WHERE THEY ATE THEIR CHOW.
IT WAS THERE ALL OF THE TIME. TOXIC SMOKE, POISON SPREADING
THROUGH THE AIR AND INTO THE LUNGS OF OUR TROOPS.
WHEN THEY CAME HOME MANY OF THE FITTEST AND BEST WARRIORS THAT
WE SENT TO WAR WERE NOT THE SAME.
HEADACHES, NUMBNESS, DIZZINESS, CANCER, MY SON BEAU WAS ONE OF
THEM. BEAU'S SON HUNTER IS HERE TODAY
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER AND HIS FATHER IN LAW MY GOOD FRIEND
FROM HIGH SCHOOL, ALONG WITH THE COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL GUARD
WHEN BEAU WAS THERE, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE, AS
WELL. TO US AND TO MANY OF YOU IN THE
ROOM, IF NOT ALL OF YOU, IT'S PERSONAL.
PERSONAL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE DANIELLE AND BRIELLE, SARGENCE 1
OF THE CLASS HEATH ROBINSON JUST 39 YEARS OLD.
39 YEARS OLD AND THEY HELD HIS HAND FOR THE LAST TIME AT AGE
39. THE PACT ACT IS THE LEAST WE CAN
DO FOR THE COUNTLESS MEN AND WOMEN MANY OF WHOM MAY BE IN
THIS RHEAUME, FOR ALL I KNOW WHO SUFFERED TOXIC EXPOSURE WHILE
SERVING THE COUNTRY. IT EXPANDS HEALTH CARE FOR
VETERANS HARMED BY TOXIC EXPOSURE.
IT EMPOWERS THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO MOVE QUICKLY
TO DETERMINE SERVICE MEMBERS' ILLNESS AND RELATED MILITARY
SERVICE TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY AND FOR FAMILIES OF VETERANS WHO
DIED FROM TOXIC EXPOSURE MEANS A STIPEND OF $2,000 A MONTH.
IT MEANS ACCESS TO LIFE INSURANCE.
HOME LOAN INSURANCE, TUITION BENEFITS AND HELP WITH HEALTH
CARE. IT MEANS NEW FACILITIES,
IMPROVED CARE AND RETENTION OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS TREATING
VETERANS. THIS NEW LAW MATTERS.
IT MATTERS A LOT. IT MATTERS A GREAT DEAL BECAUSE
THESE CONDITIONS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN SUCH A TOLL ON SO MANY
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES I'VE DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO TREAT ALL 23 PRESUMPTIVE CONDITIONS AS IN
THIS LAW AS APPLICABLE THE MOMENT I SIGN THIS BILL.
I'M URGING THE VETERANS OF THOSE DECADES OF WAR TO PROMPTLY FILE
FOR YOUR CLAIMS. THE VA WILL MOVE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE YOUR CLAIM, AND GET YOU THE BENEFITS AND THE
CARE YOU'VE EARNED. NOW I WANT EVERY MEMBER, EVERY
SERVICE MEMBER, EVERY VETERAN, EVERY FAMILY MEMBER TO KNOW HOW
TO ACCESS THE LAW. JUST GO TO VA.GOV/PACT.
VA.GOV/P-A-C-T. FILE THE CLAIM AND APPLY FOR
YOUR VA HEALTH CARE NOW OR GO TO YOUR LOCAL VA HOSPITAL OR REACH
OUT TO THE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS MANY OF WHOM MADE
THIS HAPPEN AS WELL WITH DISABLED VETERAN -- DISABLED
AMERICAN VETERANS TO THE AMERICAN LEGION, TO VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WAR. IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE, IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, JUST
CALL. CALL.
THIS LAW BECOMES ON TOP OF MY ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO
PIONEER WAYS TO LINK DISEASES AND HELP MORE VETERANS GET THE
CARE THEY NEED. WE'RE BUILDING A MORE COM
COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE. EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY FOR
VETERANS SUFFERING FOR NINE RESPIRATORY CANCERS.
EARLIER THIS SUMMER I SIGNED NINE VETERANS BILLS INTO LAW
THAT WILL DO EVERYTHING TO PROVIDE MAMMOGRAMS AND
SCREENINGS FOR VETERANS WHO SERVE NEAR BURN PITS WHO DEVELOP
CANCER AND CONDITIONS FROM THE WORLD WAR II NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
WE'RE NOT STOPPING JUST HERE. SECRETARY McDONOGH AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ARE A PART OF MY CANCER MOON
SHOT INITIATIVE TO END CANCER AS WE KNOW IT AND TODAY I AM PROUD
TO NAME DR. MONICA -- LET ME GET IT RIGHT, DOC.
BRIT -- BETANIOLI. I BETTER GET IT RIGHT BECAUSE I
MARRIED DOMINIC GIOCAPA'S DAUGHTER.
SHE'S A LEADING CANCER SURGEON FROM A FAMILY OF GENERATIONS OF
VETERANS AND PLEASE STAND, DOC. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THEY'RE ALL WORKING AS ONE TEAM.
WE MAY BE IN SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS, BUT IT'S ONE TEAM.
AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE'RE DOING AND
HELPING TO BRING DOWN THE RATE OF SUICIDE AMONG VETERANS.
AN AVERAGE OF 17 VETERANS DIED BY SUICIDE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
17. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY AND
DEMANDS NOT A WHOLE OF APPROACH AND A WHOLE OF COUNTRY WORKING
TOGETHER. SO LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS, AS
COMMANDER IN CHIEF I'VE ALWAYS HAD YOUR BACK, I PROMISE YOU.
THAT INCLUDES FINALLY, AL ZAWAHIRI AS DEPUTY OF 9/11 AND
IT INCLUDES -- [ APPLAUSE ]
INCLUDES ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR THE CARE AND BENEFITS YOU'VE MORE
THAN EARNED AND MORE THAN DESERVE.
THIS LAW -- THIS LAW IS LONG OVERDUE AND WE FINALLY GOT IT
DONE TOGETHER. TOGETHER, AND I DON'T WANT TO
HEAR THE PRESS TELL ME DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN'T WORK
TOGETHER. WE GOT IT DONE AND WE GOT IT
DONE TOGETHER. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
YOUR THE BACKBONE AND THE SPINE OF THIS COUNTRY AND MAY GOD
PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND NOW I'M GOING TO WALK OVER AND SIGN THAT
LEGISLATION. [ APPLAUSE ]
THAT'S OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
>> WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING THERE TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SPEAKING
AT THE SIGNING OF A MAJOR PIECE OF LEGISLATION, THE PACT ACT
WHICH HE'S ABOUT TO SIGN. HE'S SPEAKING THERE TO BRIELLE
ROBINSON, THE DAUGHTER OF A SERVICE MEMBER WHO DIED AS A
RESULT OF TOXIC EXPOSURE. YOU HEARD PRESIDENT BIDEN IN HIS
REMARKS REFERENCING HIS SON BEAU WHO HE HIMSELF WAS EXPOSED TO
BURN PITS IN IRAQ AND THEN DIED OF BRAIN CANCER.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION EXPECTED TO HELP AROUND
$3.5 MILLION VETERANS WHICH POPPY, BIDEN CALLED A TRULY
SACRED OBLIGATION AND THIS WAS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION.
IT DID BECOME THE VICTIM OF POLITICAL BICKERING AND WAS HELD
UP BY REPUBLICANS, BUT IT EVENTUALLY DID PASS AND IT WAS
PUSHED THROUGH AFTER AN UPROAR. POPPY, THIS IS A TRULY MOMENTOUS
PIECE OF LEGISLATION.