Legis Daily

Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act of 2026

USA119th CongressHR-8524| House 
| Updated: 4/27/2026
Nellie Pou

Nellie Pou

Democratic Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (2)
Celeste Maloy (Republican)Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican)

Education and Workforce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill aims to improve access to workers' compensation for civilian Federal employees who were exposed to toxic burn pits and other hazards during foreign contingency operations. It establishes a presumption of employment connection for specific diseases, meaning these conditions will be deemed to have been incurred or aggravated during their federal service. This presumption applies to eligible employees from various federal departments, including the Departments of Justice, State, and Defense, as well as Federal law enforcement officers, who served for at least 30 days in a contingency operation on or after August 2, 1990. The legislation mandates the creation of a list of covered diseases that aligns with those recognized for veterans under section 1120(b) of title 38. The Secretary of Labor is responsible for maintaining and updating this list, adding new diseases as they are recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. These provisions apply to all workers' compensation claims filed on or after the bill's enactment date, and the Secretary of Labor is required to report on its implementation within one year.
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Timeline
Apr 27, 2026
Introduced in House
Apr 27, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  • April 27, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • April 27, 2026
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Government Operations and Politics

Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act of 2026

USA119th CongressHR-8524| House 
| Updated: 4/27/2026
This bill aims to improve access to workers' compensation for civilian Federal employees who were exposed to toxic burn pits and other hazards during foreign contingency operations. It establishes a presumption of employment connection for specific diseases, meaning these conditions will be deemed to have been incurred or aggravated during their federal service. This presumption applies to eligible employees from various federal departments, including the Departments of Justice, State, and Defense, as well as Federal law enforcement officers, who served for at least 30 days in a contingency operation on or after August 2, 1990. The legislation mandates the creation of a list of covered diseases that aligns with those recognized for veterans under section 1120(b) of title 38. The Secretary of Labor is responsible for maintaining and updating this list, adding new diseases as they are recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. These provisions apply to all workers' compensation claims filed on or after the bill's enactment date, and the Secretary of Labor is required to report on its implementation within one year.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Apr 27, 2026
Introduced in House
Apr 27, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  • April 27, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • April 27, 2026
    Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Nellie Pou

Nellie Pou

Democratic Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (2)
Celeste Maloy (Republican)Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican)

Education and Workforce Committee

Government Operations and Politics

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted