Vets tell Biden that PACT Act gives them 'peace of mind'
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May 21—NASHUA — Army Master Sgt. Nicole Lyon of Hudson, a U.S. Army reservist since 2004, said she has had a raft of symptoms since being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan near open air, toxic burn pits.
"I have suffered from joint pain, migraines, reproductive disorders, neurological disorders, skin issues, respiratory disorders and more," Lyon said before introducing President Joe Biden Tuesday at Westwood Park YMCA.
Lyon said the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act that Biden signed 21 months ago has meant she is screened for toxins and tested for lung and breast cancers and is able to receive "life-changing" pulmonary and reproductive care.
"I have the peace of mind knowing that help is there if I need it. This is proof President Biden has our backs," she said.
Biden spoke for 12 minutes during an official visit to New Hampshire and spent half an hour speaking privately with veterans and their families.
"America has a lot of obligations, only one truly sacred obligation, and that's to prepare those that we send into harm's way and to care for them and their families when they come home, and if they don't come home, care for their families," Biden said in prepared remarks.
The president praised Veterans Affairs for having processed the one millionth claim for benefits under this new law, which created a "presumption" that medical conditions were related to the service of soldiers serving either abroad or in the U.S. near contaminated sites.
"I know, I saw them (burn pits) in Iraq and Afghanistan. You could smell it in the air," Biden said.
The president said the law gave benefits to the survivors of soldiers who had died from cancers they got on the battlefield.
"Veterans, you are the solid steel spine of our nation, and that's not hyperbole," Biden said. "In America, we leave no veteran behind."
The event was attended by 100 invited guests, along with veterans and their families. Joining Biden were dignitaries that included U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Annie Kuster, all D-N.H.; former Gov. John Lynch and his wife, Susan; and many state legislators.
Shaheen said the PACT Act led to what "may be the biggest expansion of VA health care" in the country's history.
Sununu joins welcome
Earlier Tuesday, Biden met privately with veterans for an hour at the Merrimack VFW.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu joined the Democratic delegation and former Gov. Lynch in welcoming Biden after the touchdown of Air Force One at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
After bypassing the state for nearly two years and trying to take away New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, Biden was making his second visit in three months.
Former President Donald Trump's campaign and the Republican State Committee organized sign-waving protests outside the Merrimack and Nashua stops.
Greg Moore, regional director of the fiscally conservative Americans for Prosperity, said Biden can't hide from a record of high inflation and reckless government spending.
"While the president is visiting, he should take note of everything here that's working. Our economy is thriving, and more and more people and employers are moving into our state, drawn by low taxes, economic opportunity, and more freedom than any of our neighboring states," Moore said.
"But that's because our state and its lawmakers have rejected 'Bidenomics' thinking and embraced policies that promote liberty and growth in what we call the New Hampshire Advantage."
A New Hampshire Journal-sponsored poll released Tuesday had Biden and Trump in a dead heat in New Hampshire, a state that delivered Biden an 8-point victory over Trump in 2020.
"There's no question the state is in play. We're on offense and Biden is playing defense," said Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
After leaving the state, Biden attended two reelection campaign fundraisers in Boston Tuesday night.
