The U.S. Senate has passed a proposal backed by Maine’s senators to provide more care for military veterans who were exposed to toxic substances.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King were among the supporters of the proposal, which is commonly called the “PACT Act.”

The proposal easily passed the Senate in mid-June.

The proposal is designed to expand U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care eligibility to post-Sept. 11, 2001, combat veterans.

Collins said that includes more than 3.5 million veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances.