Expansion plan presented for extending PACT Act coverage to 9/11 Pentagon staff
The US Congress is considering a new bill, H.R. 5339, also known as the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act. The bill, introduced by Representative Jack Bergman, has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Veterans Affairs' Committee.
The proposed legislation aims to correct a health care coverage gap for Defense Department (DOD) personnel affected by the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon. If passed, it will offer a presumption of service connection to health conditions under the PACT Act for DOD personnel employed at the Pentagon between Sept. 11 and Nov. 19, 2001, due to their toxic exposure following the attacks.
The PACT Act, which became law in 2022, opened Veterans Affairs benefits eligibility to veterans exposed to burn pits overseas. The bill aims to extend that coverage because these DOD personnel aren't currently covered under benefits afforded to other 9/11 victims and first responders, such as the World Trade Center Health Program and others.
The bill is named after retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Susan E. Lukas, who was present during the attacks and their aftermath. Lukas, who still has lasting health effects from the attacks, stated that the legislation is essential to ensure personnel can get the care they need.
As of August 2025, more than 2.6 million PACT claims have been submitted by over 1.9 million eligible veterans and survivors. Nearly 488,000 eligible PACT Act beneficiaries have enrolled for new coverage since it became law.
In 2024, VA regulations expanded the presumed coverage area where Vietnam veterans may have been exposed to Agent Orange under the PACT Act. The bill, if passed, will further expand benefits eligibility under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act.
The VA is currently trimming its PACT Act claims backlog, but enrollees may be on the 'low side'. The bill's passage could potentially increase the number of enrollees, ensuring more DOD personnel affected by the 9/11 attacks receive the care they need and deserve.
The bill has been sponsored by Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and is a significant step towards ensuring fairness and justice for those who served our nation on that fateful day.
