Sherrod Joins Ohio Veteran, Veteran Advocate to Highlight PACT Act in Toledo

TOLEDO, OH – Today, Sherrod Brown joined PACT Act advocate Susan Zeier and Vietnam veteran Mike Sheehy in Toledo to discuss the success of the PACT Act, legislation Sherrod wrote that has already helped connect more than 40,000 Ohio veterans exposed to toxic burn pits with healthcare benefits.

“Ohio veterans and servicemembers put their lives on the line to protect our country. While we can never fully repay them, I’ll always fight to make sure they have the healthcare and resources they deserve,” said Sherrod. “I’m proud to have Ohio veterans and servicemembers by my side in this fight and will always stand up for them.” 

“When my son-in-law Heath was diagnosed with cancer after exposure to toxic burn pits while serving in Iraq, I reached out to Sherrod Brown for help. He immediately jumped into action, wrote legislation, and worked across the aisle to get veterans the healthcare they need,” said Susan Zeier. “I’m proud to support Sherrod’s reelection to help ensure other military families don’t have to go through the same battle with the VA as we did.”

“I’ve seen firsthand Sherrod’s commitment to veterans and his work to honor their service and their families,” said Vietnam veteran Mike Sheehy. “Sherrod doesn’t just say the right things, he actually listens to veterans and takes their ideas to Washington to deliver on them. Whether it’s working to keep veterans in their homes, saving the Chillicothe VA, or championing legislation to connect veterans exposed to toxins with the healthcare they’ve earned, Sherrod always stands with Ohio veterans.” 

Sherrod wrote and passed the bipartisan Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act – named in honor of Susan Zeier’s son-in-law Ohioan Heath Robinson, who passed away after being exposed to toxic burn pits during his service – to secure healthcare and benefits for veterans. Sherrod has already helped connect more than 40,000 Ohio veterans to healthcare through the PACT Act and has hosted roundtables across the state to ensure veterans are aware of the benefits available to them.

Photos of the press conference are available for media use here and below.

As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Sherrod has always fought for Ohio veterans, servicemembers, and military families to make sure they receive the benefits and recognition they deserve:

• Sherrod wrote and passed the bipartisan PACT Act to secure healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxins and burn pits during their service.

• Sherrod has hosted roundtables across the state to ensure veterans are aware of the benefits available to them through the PACT Act.
• When the Chillicothe VA Medical Center faced closure, Sherrod spearheaded the Strengthening the Chillicothe VA Committee, hosted roundtables, and worked across the aisle to successfully keep the center open.
• Sherrod passed the All-American Flag Act to ensure the symbol of our nation is made by American workers with American-made materials.
• Sherrod passed the bipartisan Keeping Military Families Together Act through the Senate which extends the authority for servicemembers’ spouses and children to be buried in national cemeteries.
• Sherrod passed the bipartisan Mark Our Place Act through the Senate to memorialize all Medal of Honor recipients and preserve their legacies.
• Sherrod introduced the Veterans Housing Stability Act to prevent servicemembers and veterans who used home loans during the COVID-19 pandemic from losing their homes. Sherrod also successfully pushed the VA to help servicemembers and veterans keep their homes.
• Sherrod introduced the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act to increase compensation for veterans with service-related disabilities and military survivors.
• Sherrod is pushing the VA to modernize veterans’ healthcare records and better protect the personal information contained in those records.