The Senate voted Tuesday night to pass a long-sought bipartisan legislation to expand health care benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service, sending the bill to President Joe Biden to sign into law. The final vote was 86-11.
Passage of the bill marks the end of a lengthy fight to get the legislation through Congress, as veterans and their advocates had been demonstrating on Capitol Hill for days. Many veterans were allowed into the Senate gallery to watch the final vote on Tuesday evening.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced after reaching the deal with Republicans who had blocked the bill from advancing last week while they sought to add cost-controlling amendment votes to the package.
“I have some good news, the minority leader and I have come to an agreement to vote on the PACT Act this evening,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “I’m very optimistic that this bill will pass so our veterans across America can breathe a sigh of relief.”
The bill, called the Honoring our PACT Act, was approved by the House of Representatives in July.
The bill widely expands health care resources and benefits to those exposed to burn pits and could provide coverage for up to 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans. It adds conditions related to burn pit and toxic exposure, including hypertension, to the Department of Veterans Affair’s list of illnesses that have been incurred or exacerbated during military service.
The legislation had been held up in the chamber since last week when more than two dozen Republicans, who previously supported the measure, temporarily blocked it from advancing.
Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, rallied fellow Republicans to hold up the legislation in exchange for amendment votes, specifically an amendment that would change an accounting provision. Toomey had previously said he wanted an amendment vote with a 50-vote threshold.
Toomey discusses why he voted against bill to help vets exposed to toxic burn pits
Tuesday’s final vote followed votes on three amendments with a 60-vote threshold. Toomey’s amendment, which would have made a change to a budget component of the legislation, failed as expected, in a vote of 47-48.
Last week’s surprise move by Republicans led to a swift backlash among veterans and veterans’ groups, including protests on the US Capitol steps over the weekend and early this week. Comedian and political activist Jon Stewart – a lead advocate for veterans on the issue – took individual GOP senators to task for holding up a bill that had garnered wide bipartisan support in earlier votes.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell defended his party’s handling of the legislation at a news conference on Tuesday.
“Look, these kind of back and forths happen all the time in the legislative process, you’ve observed that over the years,” he said. “I think in the end, the veterans service organizations will be pleased with the final result.”
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments Tuesday.
From left: Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, former President Donald Trump, and former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens
St. Louis Post Dispatch and AP photos
ST. LOUIS — Former President Donald Trump, declining to make a single endorsement in Tuesday’s US Senate primary, announced he trusted Missouri voters to “make up their own minds” between former Gov. Eric Greitens and Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
The Post-Dispatch and the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis present this guide to the candidates and races on the Aug. 2 ballot.
In a statement posted after 5 pm Monday on Truth Social, a blogging site similar to Twitter, Trump wrote, “I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their minds, much as I did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”
The late nod to two of the frontrunners in the Senate race represented an anti-climatic end to the sweepstakes in which Republican candidates sought to ingratiate themselves to the former president, who dominated his Democratic opponents in his two elections here.
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Nationally, political scientists, analysts and journalists are watching the Missouri race to weigh Trump’s impact on midterm elections. But Trump didn’t make a final pick, potentially saving face in what has been a tight three-way contest.
Trump said in July he definitely wouldn’t endorse US Rep. Vicky Hartzler, the third Republican frontrunner, in the race. Asked earlier Monday about expectations that Trump still may endorse a Republican in the race, Hartzler shook off her non-endorsement, acknowledging the unpredictability of the former president.
“President Trump is going to do what he wants to do,” she said. “He may even endorse me.”
Greitens had claimed Trump’s endorsement in a tweet minutes after Trump’s announcement, making no mention of Schmitt.
“Honored to have the support of President Trump! We will MAGA!” Greitens said.
Schmitt followed that with his own tweet that made no mention of Greitens: “Donald Trump endorses Eric Schmitt for Senate. Stand with Trump and vote for conservative Eric Schmitt tomorrow.”
BREAKING: Donald Trump endorses Eric Schmitt for Senate. Stand with Trump and vote for conservative Eric Schmitt tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/geOUGGhq8
— Team Schmitt for US Senate (@Schmitt4Senate) August 1, 2022
Hartzler, meanwhile, issued a statement noting there is a third, lesser-known Eric also is seeking the GOP nomination, a fact that may have escaped the former president.
“Congratulations to Eric McElroy. He’s having a big night,” Hartzler said.
McElroy is a comedian and author who lives in Tunas in Dallas County.
Ending months of speculation
Political observers had for months speculated as to which candidate Trump would back in Missouri’s 21-candidate Republican primary to replace Sen. Roy Blunt, to Republican.
In December, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt pleaded with Trump not to back Greitens, who resigned in 2018 after being consumed with scandals connected to an extramarital affair he had and his unreported receipt of a campaign donor list from the veterans charity he founded.
“Please don’t endorse Eric Greitens. That’s a nightmare, Mr. President. We’ll lose that seat,” Hewitt told Trump in a radio interview.
Trump made no promises at the time.
“Well, that’s an interesting opinion, that’s true,” Trump said. “He’s right now leading by quite a bit.”
Indeed, the former president had been warming to Greitens, Politico reported in early March. After all, despite scandals other Republicans feared they could hand the seat to Democrats in the fall, Greitens was out front in opposing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, with whom Trump has feuded. (Schmitt and Hartzler also distanced themselves from McConnell last week.)
But two weeks after the Politico article, headlined “Trump’s McConnell obsession leads him toward Eric Greitens,” Greitens’ ex-wife accused the ex-governor of spousal and child abuse in court documents.
After those revelations, US Rep. Billy Long said Trump contacted him and talked about the allegations against Greitens, indicating concern from the former president about Greitens’ viability.
After the phone call, Trump issued a statement signaling he’d like to back Long but wondered if voters had “been considering” the southwest Missouri congressman, indicating Trump wanted to endorse a candidate with strong public support.
Greitens has been the subject of a multimillion-dollar campaign financed by GOP donors and operatives to paint him as unfit for office.
After leading the polls in the early going, Greitens began to fade, with Schmitt appearing to take the lead in the closing week.
Schmitt, too, had tried to court the former president.
On Dec. 23, Schmitt tweeted a picture of himself sitting next to Trump.
“It was great to be back at Mar-a-Lago and spend some time with President Trump during the holiday season. Merry Christmas!” I have tweeted.
On March 11, Schmitt made another appearance at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, according to photos he posted on Twitter.
But the charm offensive apparently wasn’t enough to earn Trump’s outright backing.
Trump angered by recent poll
Trump, on his social media website on Sunday, signaled disapproval with Schmitt and Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm working for Schmitt. Axiom’s polling arm, Remington Research Group, had released polls showing Schmitt leading the race.
On Sunday, Trump shared a link to a Breitbart article that accused Remington of underestimating Trump’s support in Missouri to boost the attorney general in polls.
“Wow, great dishonesty in politics,” Trump said in his social media post, with a photo of Schmitt below his statement. “Too bad!”
At a campaign stop in the St. Louis area, Schmitt was asked about a possible endorsement.
“I’d love to have it,” Schmitt said, adding voters had a choice between the “fighter,” Schmitt; Greitens, “who quit,” and Hartzler, “a do-nothing congresswoman who’s part of the establishment,” according to audio by St. Louis Public Radio.
Trump said in July that Hartzler called him for his endorsement, but he declined, saying she doesn’t have “what it takes to take on the Radical Left Democrats, together with their partner in the destruction of our Country, the Fake News Media and , of course, the deceptive & foolish RINOs.”
On Monday, Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, hosted a news conference in a St. Louis Lambert International Airport parking lot to criticize her two main competitors in the US Senate race.
To Greitens, she pointed out that he’s accused of abusing his family.
“That’s not conservative,” Hartzler said.
To Schmitt, she said he tried to use millions of dollars in tax credits to lure the Chinese to build a hub at the airport behind her.
“That’s not conservative,” Hartzler said.
And she criticized both of them for not sitting down for a debate.
“I guess they are afraid to fight a farm girl from Missouri,” said Hartzler, 61, describing herself as the “true conservative” in the race.
Hartzler left the airport, driving to other last-minute campaign stops in Rolla and southwest Missouri.
“We are getting a lot of support from every corner of the state,” she said.
Support for Democratic contenders
On the Democratic side of the race, former Marine Lucas Kunce touted endorsements Monday from US Sen. Bernie SanderI-Vt., and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, who served under President Bill Clinton.
Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, meanwhile, announced her election night watch party would be at the Sheet Metal Local 36 union hall in St. Louis.
On the GOP side, Greitens wound up his campaign with a statewide fly-around that included a scheduled stop at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield.
updated at 6:25 pm Monday, Aug. 1
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From left: Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, former President Donald Trump, and former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens
St. Louis Post Dispatch and AP photos
ST. LOUIS — Former President Donald Trump, declining to make a single endorsement in Tuesday’s US Senate primary, announced he trusted Missouri voters to “make up their own minds” between former Gov. Eric Greitens and Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
The Post-Dispatch and the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis present this guide to the candidates and races on the Aug. 2 ballot.
In a statement posted after 5 pm Monday on Truth Social, a blogging site similar to Twitter, Trump wrote, “I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their minds, much as I did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”
The late nod to two of the frontrunners in the Senate race represented an anti-climatic end to the sweepstakes in which Republican candidates sought to ingratiate themselves with the former president, who dominated the Democrats in his two elections here.
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Top Republicans had raced to tie themselves to the former president, betting his support would be the key to success in deeply conservative Missouri, where the former president has been widely celebrated.
Without an early endorsement, the candidates crisscrossed the state Monday, hoping to seal up support heading into Election Day.
The former president had been warming to Greitens, Politico reported in early March — weeks before Greitens’ ex-wife accused the ex-governor of spousal and child abuse in court documents.
After those reliefs, US Rep. Billy Long said Trump contacted him and talked about the allegations against Greitens, indicating concern from the former president about Greitens’ viability.
After the phone call, Trump issued a statement signaling he’d like to back Long, but wondered if voters had “been considering” Long, indicating Trump wanted to endorse a candidate with strong public support.
Greitens has been the subject of a multi-million dollar campaign financed by GOP donors and operatives to paint him as unfit for office. After leading the polls in the early going, Greitens began to fade, with Schmitt appearing to take the lead in the closing week.
Trump, on his social media website on Sunday, conveyed disapproval with Schmitt and Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm working for Schmitt. Axiom’s polling arm, Remington Research Group, had released polls showing Schmitt leading.
On Sunday, Trump shared a link to a Breitbart article that accused Remington of underestimating Trump’s support in Missouri to boost the attorney general in polls.
“Wow, great dishonesty in politics,” Trump said in his social media post, with a photo of Schmitt below his statement. “Too bad!”
At a campaign stop in the St. Louis area, Schmitt was asked about a possible endorsement.
“I’d love to have it,” Schmitt said.
Trump made clear in early July there was one candidate he definitely wouldn’t endorse: US Rep. Vicky Hartzler, one of the leading candidates in the primary.
Trump said Hartzler called him for his endorsement, but he declined, saying she doesn’t have “what it takes to take on the Radical Left Democrats, together with their partner in the destruction of our Country, the Fake News Media and, of course , the deceptive & foolish RINOs.”
On Monday, Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, hosted a press conference in a St. Louis Lambert International Airport parking lot to criticize her two main competitors in the US Senate race.
To Greitens, she pointed out that he’s accused of abusing his family.
“That’s not conservative,” Hartzler said.
To Schmitt, she said he tried to use millions of dollars in tax credits to lure the Chinese to build a hub at the airport behind her.
“That’s not conservative,” Hartzler said.
And she criticized both of them for not sitting down for a debate.
“I guess they are afraid to fight a farm girl from Missouri,” said Hartzler, 61, describing herself as the “true conservative” in the race.
Nationally, political scientists, analysts and journalists are watching the race, to weigh Trump’s impact on mid-term elections.
Asked Monday about expectations that Trump still may endorse a Republican in the race, Hartzler shook off her non-endorsement, acknowledged the unpredictability of the former president.
“President Trump is going to do what he wants to do,” she said. “He may even endorse me.”
She left the airport, driving to other last-minute campaign stops in Rolla and southwest Missouri.
“We are getting a lot of support from every corner of the state,” she said.
On the Democratic side of the race, former Marine Lucas Kunce touted endorsements from US Sen. Bernie SanderI-Vermont, and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, who served under President Bill Clinton.
Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, meanwhile, announced her election night watch party would be at the Sheet Metal Local 36 union hall in St. Louis.
On the GOP side, Greitens wound up his campaign with a statewide fly-around that included a scheduled stop at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield.
updated at 5:24 pm with Trump’s endorsement. This story will be updated.
Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on Sunday pushed back against Senate Republicans blocking passage of the administration-backed PACT Act, warning that if the chamber passes GOP senators’ proposed amendment to the legislation aimed at providing care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, “we may have to ration care for veterans.”
McDonough told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” that a proposed amendment from Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey would put “a year-on-year cap” on what the VA can spend to care for veterans suffering from exposure to burn pits and sunsets the fund after 10 years, telling Tapper, “I can’t, in good conscience, do that, because the outcome of that will be rationing of care for vets, which is something I just can’t sign on.”
“This has been the No. 1 priority for President Biden,” McDonough said, touting executive action steps the Biden administration has already taken to remove the burden of proof for veterans seeking care for toxic exposure. “I guess what I’d say is, these folks have waited long enough. Let’s just get it done, and also let’s not be for a proposal that places artificial caps on year by year, and then functionally, at the end of those 10 years, makes this fund go away. Let’s not sign up to that, because at the end of the day, the risk of that is going to be rationing of care to veterans.”
On Saturday, McDonough visited people demonstrating at the Capitol in support of the legislation, delivering pizzas to the group, who pledged they would stay overnight. President Joe Biden, who remains in isolation at the White House after testing positive again for Covid-19 on Saturday, told the group via a FaceTime call, “I’ll tell you what, as long as I have a breath in me, I ‘m going to fight to get this done – as long as I have a breath in me.”
Earlier on “State of the Union,” Toomey had defended his decision to lead a group of Republican senators in delaying passage of the bill.
The Pennsylvania Republican accused Democrats of attempting to “sneak in something completely unrelated that they know could never pass on their own” while reiterating that he and his fellow Republicans are “not opposed” to the core provisions of the bill.
“[Democrats] know they’ll unleash their allies in the media and maybe a pseudo-celebrity to make up false accusations to try to get us to just swallow what shouldn’t be there,” Toomey said in an apparent reference to comedian Jon Stewart, a longtime advocate for victims of toxic burn pit exposure who has been vocal since the procedural vote failed.
Toomey’s opposition to the bill centers on the accounting categorization of certain spending in the bill, which he said would “allow our Democratic colleagues to go on an unrelated $400 billion spending spree.” He said he wants a vote on his amendment to change the spending categorization before he agrees to allow the bill to come to a vote.
“We are spending way too much money to use – to hide behind a veterans bill, the opportunity to go on an unrelated $400 billion spending spree is wrong,” Toomey said. “And we shouldn’t allow it.”
When pressed on the text of the legislation that indicates the allocated money has to be spent on health care for veterans who were injured from toxic burn pit exposure, Toomey dismissed that interpretation of the bill.
“This is why they do this sort of thing,” said Toomey, who is not running for reelection this year. “Because it gets very deep in the weeds and very confusing for people very quickly. It’s not really about veteran spending. It’s about what category of government bookkeeping they put the veteran spending in.”
