U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough listens Thursday to Kylie J. Higgins, veteran experience officer at the VA Center in Augusta, during his tour of the Rumford VA Clinic on Railroad Street. The purpose of the visit was to celebrate progress made since last year’s enactment of The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

RUMFORD — U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough visited the new Rumford VA Clinic on Thursday and urged veterans to get screened for toxic exposure under a recently passed federal law.

U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, left, listens Thursday to U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, during a tour of the new Rumford VA Clinic on Railroad Street. Democratic Congressman Jared Golden of Lewiston, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, stands at right. The purpose of the visit was to celebrate progress made since last year’s enactment of The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

The purpose of the visit was to celebrate the progress made since last year’s enactment of The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act. The bipartisan legislation strengthens and expands health care for the millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during their service, as well as those who have developed complications related to Agent Orange.

“What we’re making sure we do with this law is that we’re fulfilling what President Biden calls our one sacred obligation as a country,” McDonough said. “And that is making sure that we take care of our veterans when they come home and their families.

“And what we know now is that there was exposure to those burn pits and exposure to particulate matter, especially in the deserts of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan. And particulate matter comes with those deployments, as real health impacts on our veterans,” he said.

Over 3,200 Maine veterans have filed claims and it is estimated that tens of thousands could be eligible for additional VA benefits and health care under the PACT Act.

“This law says please come in, file a claim with us,” McDonough said. “Let’s make sure we get you toxic exposure screening, which more than four million veterans have gotten, and several veterans here are getting, so we can find out what addition care is needed.”

U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Lewiston Democrat representing the 2nd Congressional District, hosted McDonough at the clinic at 10 Railroad St. It opened May 30.