Earlier this month, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) spoke about the passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act.

It was the most direct link the president has publicly drawn between Beau’s fatal brain cancer and burn pits. The president made addressing the problem one of his priorities during his State of the Union address in March.

Biden said on the FaceTime call that the country has a “sacred obligation” to care for those who go into war and care for them and their families after they return. He said opposing the legislation is “despicable,” and he has to believe that the bill’s opponents are “going to make up for the mistake they made.”

“Once more, the House of Representatives has made clear to America's veterans how much we value their service and sacrifice,” said House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), who sponsored the bill, when the most recent version was passed in the house July 13.