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Washington, DC – Senators Ted Budd, Thom Tillis, and a group of seven other lawmakers are demanding answers regarding the ongoing Camp Lejeune toxic water crisis. They are questioning why their constituents continue to suffer from the contaminated water while the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Navy remain unresponsive to their claims.
The lawmakers expressed their concerns in a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The letter focuses on the delays in addressing claims and lawsuits filed by veterans, military personnel, and their families affected by the toxic waters at the base in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act was passed by Congress last August, allowing more than 1 million people exposed to the contaminated water to file claims with the Navy. However, none of the estimated 45,000 claims filed have been answered, resulting in at least 900 lawsuits in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Lawmakers are urging the Navy Judge Advocate General and the DOJ to act quickly and provide justice to the affected individuals without further delay. They are also requesting answers to a series of questions by June 9, including the status of claims and lawsuits and plans to process and resolve them.
The toxic chemicals in Camp Lejeune’s water supply, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, benzene, and vinyl chloride, are known to cause serious health issues including miscarriages, birth defects, cancers, and childhood leukemia. These contaminants entered the water supply between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, through various sources such as underground fuel storage tanks, off-base dry cleaning facilities, industrial area spills, and waste disposal sites.
The lawmakers involved in this effort include U.S. Representatives Richard Hudson, Dan Bishop, Greg Murphy, Don Davis, Valerie Foushee, Matt Cartwright, and U.S. Senator Mike Braun. All of them have received complaints from their constituents about the delays in addressing the claims and settling the lawsuits.
In their letter, the lawmakers emphasized the sacrifices made by service members and their families and stressed the importance of addressing their claims in a timely and efficient manner. They concluded that further delays are unacceptable, and anything less than a swift resolution is an injustice.”
Source: Military.com
