Bill · S. 4554· Senate(119-S-4554)
Renewing our PACT Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 5/18/2026
- Last activity
- 5/18/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sponsored by
- Kirsten Gillibrand
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Kenya Merritt Renewing our Promise to Address Chemical Toxicity Act of 2026," aims to amend title 5 of the United States Code. It seeks to improve access to workers' compensation for civilian Federal employees exposed to toxic burn pits and other hazards. The legislation establishes a legal presumption that certain diseases were caused or aggravated by employment for eligible employees. These employees include those from various federal departments who served in contingency operations for at least 30 days. The Secretary of Labor is tasked with maintaining a list of these diseases, which aligns with those recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+6
The bill eases the process for federal employees to receive compensation for health issues related to toxic exposure via a legal presumption.
Would union members be better off under this?+5
The bill strengthens workers' compensation protections for federal employees exposed to toxins during contingency operations.
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?+5
The bill improves workers' compensation access for federal employees exposed to toxic hazards.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Presumption of Disease Connection: For eligible employees, certain diseases will be deemed to have been caused or aggravated by their employment, even if there is no record of the disease during their period of service (Section 2(b)). This provides a clearer path for workers seeking compensation for health issues related to toxic exposure.
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Expanded Coverage for Federal Employees: The bill covers a wide range of workers, including employees from the Department of Justice, State, Defense, Homeland Security, Treasury, Commerce, Agriculture, the intelligence community, and Federal law enforcement officers (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Consistent Disease Tracking: The list of diseases is tied to the regulations used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, ensuring that the diseases covered for civilian employees remain aligned with recognized medical standards for veterans (Section 2(c)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Eligibility Requirements: To qualify as an "eligible employee," a person must have carried out their job responsibilities for not fewer than 30 total days in a country or territory while the United States was conducting a contingency operation (Section 2(a)(2)). This may exclude those who served for shorter durations.
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Limited Disease Additions: New diseases can only be added to the list if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs first adds them under specific regulations, which could potentially delay the inclusion of new health concerns (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Union Workers+5Good For Low Income Households+3
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+6
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Union Protections+5
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- 5/18/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.