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Washington D.C. - Today, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam introduced the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act to expand PACT Act benefits to servicemembers who reported to the Pentagon for duty in the days and weeks following the 9/11 attacks. The legislation is named after Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Susan Lukas, who was in the Pentagon on 9/11, reported to work the very next day, and suffers from persistent and significant health impacts from exposure to this day. The legislation was introduced on the 24th anniversary of the attacks.

"There are so many servicemembers who witnessed the devastating attack on the Pentagon on 9/11 and then bravely reported for duty soon thereafter to keep our country safe, exposing themselves to harmful toxicants that forever impacted their health," said Congressman Suhas Subramanyam. "These heroic men and women deserve the same benefits under the PACT Act that Congress has provided to other servicemembers, and I am proud to introduce this bill to close the gap in coverage."

"On behalf of the Reserve Organization of America, I thank Congressman Subramanyam for sponsoring the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act, which establishes a presumption of service connection for servicemembers who were at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks and returned to duty as early as the next day," said retired Army Maj. Gen. and Reserve Organization of America Executive Director John Hashem. "These patriots faced not only the devastation of that tragic morning but also long-term toxic exposures at the heart of our nation's defense. The PACT Act was an important step forward, but this distinct group of servicemembers still lack the protections they need. This legislation honors their sacrifice and ensures they receive the care and benefits they have earned."

"I am profoundly grateful to Representative Subramanyam for championing this legislation," said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Susan Lukas, a constituent of Congressman Subramanyam and the bill's namesake. "On 9/11, I was serving at the Pentagon and was required to return to duty the very next day, unaware that the environment we were exposed to would have lasting consequences for our health. As a constituent and a veteran, I thank the congressman for his commitment to ensuring that no servicemember exposed to these conditions is left behind."

"I am a survivor of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on 9/11. Just three days later, I returned to work at the Pentagon. I watched servicemembers and civilian personnel working around the clock-24/7-amid smoke, dust, and toxic debris like asbestos, determined to restore operations and defend our nation. They never hesitated," said Herbert Valle, President of the Potomac Falls, Virginia-based veterans nonprofit Chariots of Honor. "This legislation corrects a longstanding inequity by extending the PACT Act presumption of service connection to Pentagon service members who reported for duty between September 11 and November 19, 2001. Passing this bill is not just about policy-it is about fairness, honoring sacrifice, and keeping our promise to those who served when our nation needed them most."

The Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act would correct a gap in coverage by extending the presumption of service connection for toxic-exposed veterans provided by the PACT Act to servicemembers who reported for duty in the Pentagon between September 11, 2001 and November 19, 2001, the date the building was deemed safe and cleared of toxicants. By returning to the Pentagon, these individuals were exposed to cement dust, glass fibers, asbestos, lead, mold, and other toxicants that can cause lifelong health conditions and challenges. These servicemembers are currently ineligible for presumption of service connection under the PACT Act or other benefits via the World Trade Center Health Program and other programs that are afforded to first responders and others impacted by the attacks. Rep. Subramanyam's legislation would close this gap and ensure they can receive the benefits and care they deserve.

The legislation has bipartisan support and is cosponsored by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01).

The legislation is endorsed by the Reserve Organization of America.

The text of the legislation can be found here.

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