U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley
By Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10)
On the morning of September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon. The crash not only took the lives of the 59 passengers and crew on board and the 125 military and civilian staffers inside the Pentagon, but it also left countless other Americans. In the days after 9/11, first responders, servicemembers, and civilian employees across the country immediately returned to work. They faced not only the trauma of the attack itself, but also an environment filled with smoke, jet fuel residue, pulverized concrete, asbestos fibers, silica dust, and other hazardous materials released from damaged building materials and office contents
On September 12th, thousands of Pentagon employees returned to work, some relocating temporarily within the Pentagon complex and others working in makeshift spaces, determined to send a message that our national defense would not be paralyzed by terror. That decision reflected extraordinary courage and patriotism. It also meant that many individuals continued to work in conditions that we now understand posed significant long-term health risks.
In the weeks and months that followed, numerous Pentagon personnel reported persistent respiratory symptoms, chronic sinus issues, swallowing disorders, and other unexplained medical complications. Over time, patterns began to emerge among those who had spent extended periods inside or near the impact zone. These were not isolated incidents. They were the human consequences of toxic exposure in the line of duty.
We now know that the dust and debris inhaled by those personnel contained hosts of hazardous substances. Many of these materials, including asbestos and heavy metals, are linked to chronic respiratory disease, digestive disorders, rare cancers, and other conditions that are manifested years after exposure.
One of the individuals affected is my constituent, Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Susan E. Lukas. Lt. Col. Lukas faithfully returned to the Pentagon in the aftermath of the attack to continue her service. Not long after, she began experiencing persistent difficulty swallowing and breathing, symptoms that would significantly disrupt her quality of life. She was eventually diagnosed with a rare condition that has been observed in others who were present in the Pentagon on and after 9/11. The impact on her daily life has been profound, so much so that she had to install a costly specialized air purification system in her home to breathe more comfortably. As Susan put it, “every action I take is designed to overcome the health challenges posed by my time in the Pentagon on and after 9/11.”
As a Member of Congress representing Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, home to thousands of active duty servicemembers, veterans, civilians, and federal employees, I have heard directly from those who served at the Pentagon during and after the attacks. They did what their country asked of them. They returned to their posts. They sustained our national security operations in a moment of profound vulnerability. The federal government has a responsibility to ensure that when that service results in long-term health consequences, those individuals are not left to shoulder the burden alone.
In the years since 9/11, Congress has worked to address toxic exposure among veterans. In 2022, we passed the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act, a landmark law that expanded the Department of Veterans Affairs health care coverage and benefits for toxic exposure. It established new presumptions of service connection for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances, including exposure related to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to Agent Orange and other hazardous materials in prior eras. By creating these presumptive conditions, Congress recognized a critical reality: when patterns of illness are clearly associated with toxic exposure during service, veterans should not be forced to navigate a case-by-case evidentiary process to prove what common sense and medical evidence already demonstrate.
The PACT Act was an important step. However, a gap remains. Servicemembers and personnel who were exposed to toxic debris and hazardous conditions at the Pentagon in the aftermath of 9/11 have not been afforded the same explicit statutory recognition under current law. While some may qualify for benefits through existing pathways, there is no clear, comprehensive presumption that addresses the unique toxic exposure circumstances of those who served at the Pentagon in the days and months following the attack.
That gap is what the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemember Fairness Act (H.R. 5339) seeks to fill.
H.R. 5339 would ensure that those who reported for duty at the Pentagon and were exposed to hazardous materials receive the same consideration and presumptive access to care that Congress extended to other toxic-exposed veterans under the PACT Act. Looking ahead, this measure is about more than addressing past exposure; it is about strengthening the integrity of our veterans’ benefits system for the future. Fairness in veterans policy is foundational to maintaining trust between servicemembers and our government. When individuals volunteer to serve, they do so with the understanding that their country will stand behind them. If gaps in statutory coverage persist, trust erodes.
Throughout my time in Congress, I have emphasized the importance of benefits equity and administrative clarity. Veterans should not need legal representation or years of appeals to receive recognition for conditions that are reasonably linked to their service. By codifying a clear presumption for Pentagon-related toxic exposure, H.R. 5339 would reduce bureaucratic friction, improve consistency in VA adjudications, and send a signal that Congress is attentive to emerging evidence and evolving medical understanding.
On the day after the worst attack ever on American soil, Pentagon employees returned to their posts because the country needed them. Today, it is our turn to stand up for them. Ensuring that our veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned is not only a matter of policy but a matter of duty.