Brown Staff, Stark County Veterans Discuss Expanded Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Toxins

CANTON, OH -Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) staff hosted a roundtable at the American Legion Post 44 in Canton to discuss new health and disability care for veterans who have been harmed by toxic exposure while serving in the military. Veterans are now eligible for expanded care due to Brown's bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022. Brown has held 37 roundtables and events around Ohio to help raise awareness and help veterans access this care. Veterans from Miami County met with Anthony Eliopoulos, an outreach staff member in Brown's office who specializes in veterans' affairs and holds the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army National Guard.

"This law is the most comprehensive expansion of health care for veterans who faced toxic exposure in our country's history," said Brown. "We're working to get the word out to veterans across Ohio. If you were exposed to toxins while serving our country, you deserve the benefits you earned. Period. No exceptions."

The legislation is named after Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, a Central Ohio veteran who passed away in 2020 at age 39 from lung cancer after exposure to burn pits during a one-year deployment in Iraq in 2006.

"On August 10^th, we observed the 2^nd anniversary of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. As a result of Senator Brown's commitment to our country's veterans, the PACT Act created an unwavering promise to toxic-exposed Veterans to ensure that they get the benefits and care they have earned," said De Ann Williams, Executive Director of the Stark County Veterans Service Commission. "The work is not over and we are very pleased to see that Senator Brown is not resting on his laurels and continues to standout front to encourage Veterans and survivors to apply for the benefits and sponsors public forums to continue to address veteran issues and concerns, rather with the PACT Act itself, or veteran issues in general. We value our partnership with Senator Brown and are honored to host this forum for the Veterans of Stark County."

The PACT Act is the result of a years-long fight by Brown, veterans, and their families to secure access to Department of Veterans Affairs health care and disability care for veterans who were exposed to toxins. He now is working with Ohio veterans, their families, and advocates to bring additional attention to provisions in the PACT Act and urges all Ohio veterans and family members to visit www.va.gov/pact to find out more about how to claim care.

Ohio veterans who would like more information on available resources can reach out to the resources below:

Stark County Veterans Service Commission:

(330) 451-7457

Veterans Crisis Line

988 - Press 1

Or Text 838255

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

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