| Support letter for HR.4249/S.2294 the Veterans Exposed to Toxic (VET) PFAS Act. These companion bills would provide presumptive service connection for veterans exposed to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at military installations. PFAS are man-made chemicals that do not break down in the environment and are present in fire-fighting foams used by both civilian and military firefighters. The release of these chemicals into the environment during training and emergency responses is a major source of PFAS contamination of ground water on military bases. Given the overwhelming amount of water contaminations the VA does not currently recognize any diseases related to PFAS exposure. The VET PFAS act would add high cholesterol ulcerative colitis thyroid disease testicular cancer kidney cancer and pregnancy-induced hypertension as presumptive diseases to PFAS exposure. This bill would allow health care for veterans and family members who were exposed to PFAS on military installations and develop the same recognized diseases. |