ACES Act of 2025

# ACES Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary The ACES Act, signed into law in 2025, directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to partner with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study cancer rates among military veterans who worked as aircrew members on fixed-wing aircraft. The research will examine how common cancer is among this group of veterans and how many have died from cancer-related illnesses. This study aims to determine whether veterans' exposure to certain hazardous materials or conditions during their service—such as radiation, fuel, or other toxic substances—may have contributed to higher cancer rates. The bill primarily affects military veterans who served as aircrew members, along with the VA and the research institutions involved.

By requiring this formal investigation, the legislation seeks to better understand potential health risks associated with specific military service roles and could eventually lead to expanded healthcare benefits or new support programs if a link between service and cancer is established. The study represents a congressional effort to ensure that veterans who may have been exposed to harmful substances receive appropriate medical attention and recognition of service-related health conditions.