Billions of dollars in new aid will be given to military veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other sources of potentially lethal toxins while deployed abroad.
3.5 million former soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will now have health coverage thanks to the PACT Act. Soldiers who were exposed to Agent Orange are helped by the bill.
Many veterans have had their claims for care from the Department of Veterans Affairs denied because they weren't able to link their ailments to their deployment. Under the new legislation, the burden of proof is removed for people who suffer illnesses related to burn pit exposure.
Schumer thanked the people who were upset.
The New York Democrat said on the Senate floor that he wanted to thank the veterans who camped at the foot of Capitol Hill.
The bill passed the Senate by an 84-14 margin. After Democrats reached a deal on a reconciliation package that will give a massive injection of cash into efforts to mitigate climate change and lower healthcare costs, Republicans blocked a second vote approving the version that had been passed by the House.
The Democrats tried to sneak in $400 billion in new mandatory spending despite the fact that the version passed in June included the same language. Democrats argued that the mandatory spending was designed to protect the benefits of veterans.
The bill was defeated by 41 Republicans, including 25 who had supported it in June.
Jon Stewart called the vote against the bill "corrupt at its finest", leading to an uproar. The 25 Republicans were accused by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of putting more veterans at risk by delaying the legislation.
The bill will be signed by the president.
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