What does Preamble of Renewing our PACT Act of 2026 do?

This bill proposes to amend title 5 of the United States Code. The stated purpose is to improve access to workers' compensation for civilian Federal employees. The bill specifically addresses employees exposed to toxic burn pits.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Renewing our PACT Act of 2026 do?

This bill is formally titled the Kenya Merritt Renewing our Promise to Address Chemical Toxicity Act of 2026.

What does CERTAIN DISEASES DEEMED TO BE PROXIMATELY CAUSED BY EMPLOYMENT of Renewing our PACT Act of 2026 do?

This section amends title 5 of the United States Code to establish a presumption that certain diseases are proximately caused by employment for federal employees exposed to burn pits and toxic hazards in foreign contingency operations. It defines 'eligible employee' as an employee of specific federal departments or an element of the intelligence community who worked for at least 30 days in a country during a U.S. contingency operation. A list of diseases deemed proximately caused by employment is established, initially aligning with the diseases specified in section 1120(b) of title 38 and updated as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs adds diseases. The Secretary of Labor is responsible for maintaining the list and adding diseases as they are added to the Veterans Affairs list. The amendments apply to claims for compensation filed on or after the date of enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Labor must submit a report to Congress within one year of enactment detailing the implementation progress and the number of eligible employees.

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Renewing our PACT Act of 2026

Last updated: 5/18/2026 · Introduced: 5/18/2026

Author: Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill establishes a presumption that certain diseases are proximately caused by federal employment for employees exposed to burn pits and toxic hazards during U.S. contingency operations.
It defines 'eligible employee' as those working for specific federal departments or intelligence agencies for at least 30 days in a foreign contingency operation.
The bill mandates the Secretary of Labor to maintain a list of diseases presumed to be work-related, aligning with and updating the list used by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 8524(In Committee)Official page

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Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

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