Biden signs PACT act to help veterans exposed to toxic substances, as Jon Stewart looks on

U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 on Wednesday, which expands healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances in burn pits and elsewhere.

The U.S. military used burn pits to dispose of waste on foreign bases until the mid-2010s. Fumes from burning everything from rubber, chemical waste, ammunition and human feces have caused rare cancers and respiratory illnesses in veterans.

Veterans who had pushed for the bill had camped on the Capitol steps before its passage. Biden also thanked comedian Jon Stewart, an outspoken supporter of the bill, and Rosie Torres, a veterans' advocate, for their work on getting the bill passed.

In the audience was Robert Biden II, President Biden's grandson and the son of the late Beau Biden, who died of lung cancer after serving in Iraq.

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