WASHINGTON, DC — In Case You Missed It (ICYMI): Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, had legislation pass through the U.S. House of Representatives that seeks to lower cancer rates in aviation servicemembers.

Rep. Pfluger's "Aviation Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act" directs the VA Secretary to study cancer incidences and mortality rates among military aviators and aircrews.

As first reported in CQ Roll Call, "Hurdle cleared: A bipartisan bill (H.R. 530) to study cancer rates among military aviators has cleared the House. The legislation, from Texas GOP Rep.August Pfluger, a former Air Force fighter pilot, and California Democrat Rep. Jimmy Panetta, a former Navy Reserve intelligence officer, passed 376-5 under suspension of the rules Monday night.

Under the bill, dubbed the "AcesAct," the Veterans Affairs secretary would be required to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to review "the prevalence and mortality of cancer" among active duty Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps veterans who served as pilots or navigators, or held any other aircrew role during their time in the military.

Pfluger, in a statement, urged the Senate to quickly take up the plan. "The ACES Act has been my top priority in Congress since I was elected, and I am thrilled that after years of advocacy, this legislation has finally passed through the House," he said.

--

Read more about the passage of this legislation in San Angelo LIVE here.

The passage of Rep. Pfluger's legislation was celebrated by several veteran organizations and advocacy groups, who released the following statements:

Vince Alcazar, COL, USAF, ret., MACH Coalition Founder & Director, said, “The Military Aviator Coalition for Health (MACH) celebrates the passage of H.R. 530, the Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act. With three major Department of Defense studies in the last four confirming and quantifying significantly elevated cancer rates among U.S. military flyers, the ACES Act goes the next step. This bill would ask the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to apply their extensive Veteran health study capacity to determine what in the operating environments of military aviation is likely causing cancer. This study is essential. Without the ACES Act, military medicine will have no practical way of mitigating risk, and Veteran flyers will have no basis to correlate their service to potential cancer. This day was five years in the making. We recognize and praise the leadership of Congressman August Pfluger in leading this bill through three Congresses to today. Congressman Pfluger is an amazing champion of this work.”

Jose Ramos, Vice President of Government and Community Relations, Wounded Warrior Project, said, "Wounded Warrior Project is grateful to Rep. Pfluger and his fellow Members of Congress for passing the ACES Act in the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority. This legislation represents a critical step toward safeguarding the long-term health and well-being of military aviators and support personnel. These groups are routinely exposed to unique occupational hazards, and collaborative research across the federal government will help inform cancer prevention and veteran health strategies.We urge the Senate to take up this legislation as soon as possible."

Rye Barcott, Co-Founder & CEO of With Honor Action, said, “With Honor Action congratulates Reps. August Pfluger and Jimmy Panetta in securing House passage of the ACES Act—comprehensive legislation that will advance research into potential links between aviator service and increased cancer rates. As members of the For Country Caucus, Reps. Pfluger and Panetta built strong bipartisan support among their fellow veteran lawmakers that led to a full caucus endorsement. We look forward to seeing this critical legislation become law.”

Theo Lawson, Assistant Director, Legislative Programs, Fleet Reserve Association, said, "The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) wholeheartedly celebrates the passage of the ACES Act in the House and extends our sincere congratulations to Congressman August Pfluger, his staff, and the bill's cosponsors for their incredible dedication in advancing this vital legislation. Understanding cancer is the first step to defeating it, and this bill brings us closer to uncovering the critical links between aircrew service and cancer risks. Their leadership ensures our sea service aviators and all aircrew members are better equipped to identify and combat this silent enemy. We look forward to continuing the fight alongside them until the ACES Act becomes law–honoring the sacrifices of our servicemembers and safeguarding future generations."

Mario Marquez, Executive Director of Government Affairs, The American Legion, said, “On behalf of the 1.5 million veterans nationwide, The American Legion proudly supports the ACES Act. Research is critical to our understanding of the impacts of toxic exposures, from Agent Orange to harmful chemicals on aircraft. We applaud Representative Pfluger for prioritizing this critical issue and thank the House of Representatives for passing the ACES Act with resounding support. The American Legion urges the Senate to vote on this bill and continue to invest in research surrounding the impacts of toxic exposures.”

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ON X: