Memorial Day is when America pauses and reflects on those lives given in service to our country. Many of those lives were not lost on the battlefield but instead lost here at home to illnesses long after they left service. 

Burn pits, agent orange and oil fires are some of the hazards our service men and women were exposed to in service. And it is those hazards that are killing them today. 

For decades, Congress wrote blank checks to send our troops to war but didn’t consider the cost to take care of our troops once they returned home. 

The PACT Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that will take care of generations of veterans, allowing them to finally receive the care and benefits they have EARNED. This legislation is the culmination of years’ worth of advocacy and is supported by 65 major veteran organizations. 

The Senate must honor our pact with those who served and fulfill our promise to care for those who have borne the battle by passing the PACT Act now. I encourage you to contact Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and tell them you want them to vote Yes on The PACT Act

Barbara Green, Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado State Commander, Lakewood