Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Renewing our PACT Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- 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
- Scored +6
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill eases the process for federal employees to receive compensation for health issues related to toxic exposure via a legal presumption.
- Scored +5
Would union members be better off under this?
The bill strengthens workers' compensation protections for federal employees exposed to toxins during contingency operations.
- Scored +5
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?
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. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would union members be better off under this? — The bill strengthens workers' compensation protections for federal employees exposed to toxins during contingency operations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill expands access to workers' compensation benefits for eligible federal employees.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill eases the process for federal employees to receive compensation for health issues related to toxic exposure via a legal presumption.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill improves workers' compensation access for federal employees exposed to toxic hazards.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill aligns disease lists for civilian federal employees with the standards used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides a clearer path to disability and death compensation for eligible federal employees.
- 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.