VA Must Post Public List of Toxic Exposure Claims Under Review Within 180 Days

When we talk about veterans and toxic exposure—things like burn pits, Agent Orange, or contaminated water—the process for getting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recognize a resulting illness as “service-connected” can be a long, frustrating black box. This recognition, called a “presumption of service connection,” is the key to accessing benefits.

The Presumptive CLARITY Act of 2025 is designed to shine a light directly into that process. It mandates that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must create and maintain a publicly accessible website listing every health condition and every group of veterans (or “cohort”) currently under review for establishing or removing a toxic exposure service connection presumption. The goal is simple: no more guessing games about where a critical claim stands. The VA has 180 days after the Act becomes law to get this digital list up and running.

Opening the Black Box of Benefits

For a veteran diagnosed with a condition they believe is related to their service, the waiting game is often the hardest part. This bill addresses that by requiring the VA to publish the entire procedural roadmap for these decisions. Specifically, for every condition being considered, the VA must detail the current status, the target timeframes for completing each step, and clear instructions on how the public—including veterans, doctors, and advocacy groups—can submit comments and recommendations.

Think of it this way: right now, if a group of veterans is pushing for the VA to recognize a certain cancer linked to a specific deployment, they often have no official way to track the VA’s internal review progress. This new requirement (Section 2, adding new section 1105 to title 38, U.S.C.) means the VA has to put its cards on the table. If you’re a veteran with a presumptive illness, you’ll be able to see exactly where your condition is in the approval pipeline—whether it’s in the initial data gathering phase, scientific review, or final determination.

Accountability on a Deadline

This isn't just a suggestion; it's a hard mandate with a deadline. The VA must implement this public posting requirement within six months. This 180-day clock puts pressure on the agency to standardize and streamline its review process internally, because once it’s public, any delays will be instantly visible to everyone. The requirement for publishing “target timeframes” is particularly important here. While these aren't hard deadlines that guarantee approval, they provide a metric against which advocates can hold the VA accountable.

By creating a formal, public mechanism for comments, the bill also gives veterans and their supporters a voice directly in the decision-making process. Instead of decisions being made solely behind closed doors based on internal studies, the public—which includes experts who have worked with these illnesses for years—gets a structured way to contribute data and evidence. Ultimately, the Presumptive CLARITY Act doesn't change what the VA considers for toxic exposure claims, but it fundamentally changes how the VA considers them, prioritizing transparency and public participation from start to finish.