Pou and Colleagues Introduce New Bill to Help Sick Federal Law Enforcement Left Behind

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09) and her colleagues have introduced the Kenya Merritt Renewing Our Promise to Address Chemical Toxicity ("PACT") Act, legislation to ensure federal civilian employees exposed to toxic burn pits overseas can access fair and timely compensation for serious illnesses.

The legislation is sponsored by Congresswoman Pou and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02), and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

"Men and women who stood shoulder to shoulder with our troops should not be left behind when they come home sick," said Congresswoman Pou. "These federal workers faced the same toxic exposure, but today they are forced to clear impossible hurdles to get the help they need. Our bill fixes that. It brings fairness, speeds up care, and honors the service they gave our country."

"America's promise to those who serve in harm's way must be kept long after the mission ends. That principle has long guided my work for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, and it is the same principle behind this legislation. Federal law enforcement officers, intelligence professionals, and civilian federal employees served beside our troops, breathed the same toxic air, and carried home the same risks. They should not be forced to fight an impossible burden of proof for the care and compensation they earned. The Renewing Our PACT Act brings long-overdue fairness to these brave Americans and ensures that when the cost of service comes due, they are met with care-not denial, delay, or doubt," said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

Background

For years, civilian federal employees including law enforcement and national security personnel deployed alongside U.S. troops in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, often working near open burn pits that released dangerous, cancer-causing toxins. While Congress acted to support veterans through the PACT Act enacted in 2022, these civilian workers remain outside that system and must prove a direct link between their illness and exposure, a burden that is often impossible to meet years later. As a result, claims are routinely denied, leaving workers and their families without care or support.

The Renewing Our PACT Act addresses this gap by creating a clear standard for affected workers. It establishes a presumption that certain illnesses are work-related for eligible federal employees exposed to burn pits during overseas contingency operations. The bill also aligns civilian protections with those already in place for veterans by tying covered conditions to determinations made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and requiring timely updates as new illnesses are recognized.

In addition, the bicameral legislation sets clear eligibility rules, ensures the new standard applies to future claims right away, and requires reporting to Congress to track implementation and reach. Together, these changes will help workers get care faster, reduce red tape, and bring long-overdue fairness to a system that has failed too many who served.

Support

The Renewing Our PACT Act has already received strong support from a range of outside groups including the FBI Agents Association that has been instrumental in working with Rep. Pou and Senator Gillibrand to ensure no one is left behind, as well as the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, American Veterans, and others.

"The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) commends Representatives Nellie Pou, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Celeste Maloy for their leadership in introducing the Kenya Merritt Renewing Our PACT Act of 2026. FBIAA was proud to lead the advocacy effort, working with bill sponsors to address a longstanding gap in care for FBI Agents, professional staff, and other federal employees exposed to toxic burn pits while serving alongside the military. Since Operation Desert Shield, FBI personnel and other civilian federal employees have served overseas alongside U.S. armed forces, facing the same risks and exposures. This bipartisan legislation ensures that civilian federal employees suffering illnesses linked to burn pits have a fair and appropriate standard to evaluate their claims, consistent with the standard applied to claims from members of the military. The legislation honors the memory of FBI Special Agent Kenya Merritt, who served in Iraq near one of the region's most toxic burn pits and was later diagnosed with lung cancer; he passed away on October 30, 2024. Kenya's story underscores the importance of ensuring that those who accepted the risks of service are treated in a manner that reflects that commitment," said Natalie Bara, President of the FBI Agents Association.

"When the federal government sends its workforce into harm's way, it has a duty to stand by them when the consequences of that service emerge," said Mathew Silverman, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA). "This legislation ensures coverage for federal law enforcement officers who served overseas alongside U.S. military personnel and now suffer from burn pit-related exposures. FLEOA thanks Senator Gillibrand and Representatives Fitzpatrick, Maloy, and Pou for their leadership in advancing the 'Renewing Our PACT Act' and strengthening fairness and accountability in the federal workers' compensation system."

"Federal law enforcement officers stood shoulder to shoulder with our service members in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zones, breathing the same toxic smoke from burn pits and facing the same long-term health consequences. Yet far too many of these patriots have been left without the protections and care their service deserves. The Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act is a common-sense step to create parity, honor shared sacrifice, and ensure that federal law enforcement officers with service connected injuries receive the coverage they have earned. AMVETS thanks the bill's sponsors, the FBI Agents Association, and other federal law enforcement organizations for leading this critical effort to close a longstanding gap for those who served our nation in harm's way," said Joe Chenelly, Executive Director of AMVETS.

"National Brain Tumor Society supports the Kenya Merritt Renewing our PACT Act of 2026 as a sensible extension of the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 to non-military personnel who served alongside U.S. troops overseas and were similarly exposed to potentially toxic burn pits, which have been linked in studies as a possible source of devastating, long-term illnesses, including brain tumors. We applaud Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick - also a lead sponsor of the landmark BRAIN Act - and the other bipartisan sponsors for their continued commitment to public health," said Gary Heimberg, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer, Counsel of the National Brain Tumor Society.

###