Bills address US failure to provide troops with DU screening and research
bostonpress.com: Two bills focusing on potentially dangerous health risks faced by Connecticut veterans because of exposure to depleted uranium ammunition won initial approval from a legislative committee Thursday.
"It's a real milestone," said state Rep. Patricia Dillon, D-New Haven, who sponsored one of the bills [see it below] to assure Connecticut soldiers a legal right to screening and follow-up care for exposure to depleted uranium. "I think we're going to be a real leader on this."
The other measure that also won unanimous approval from the legislature's Veterans' Affairs Committee would create a state task force to investigate the health effects of depleted uranium exposure and review the best screening methods used to detect it. [RSB-1245]
Both bills now go to the legislature's Public Health Committee for further action.
"Theoretically, we're putting into state law what the Army says it's already doing," said Dillon.
She said many veterans of the first Persian Gulf war and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have told her the U.S. military isn't providing the needed screening. [DB emphasis] Link
State of Connecticut
General Assembly
Proposed Bill No. 5050
Introduced by:
REP. DILLON, 92nd Dist.
AN ACT ENSURING THE HEALTH OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES RETURNING FROM SERVICE IN OPERATION ENDURING
FREEDOM AND OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
That chapter 505a of the general statutes be amended to require that
any resident of Connecticut who is a member of the armed forces of
any state or of any reserve component of the armed forces of the 3
United States and who has been called to active service in the armed
forces of the United States for Operation Enduring Freedom or
Operation Iraqi Freedom be screened for exposure to depleted
uranium upon returning to the state
Statement of Purpose:
To safeguard the health of members of the armed forces returning to
the state from service in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Link to pdf
"It's a real milestone," said state Rep. Patricia Dillon, D-New Haven, who sponsored one of the bills [see it below] to assure Connecticut soldiers a legal right to screening and follow-up care for exposure to depleted uranium. "I think we're going to be a real leader on this."
The other measure that also won unanimous approval from the legislature's Veterans' Affairs Committee would create a state task force to investigate the health effects of depleted uranium exposure and review the best screening methods used to detect it. [RSB-1245]
Both bills now go to the legislature's Public Health Committee for further action.
"Theoretically, we're putting into state law what the Army says it's already doing," said Dillon.
She said many veterans of the first Persian Gulf war and the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have told her the U.S. military isn't providing the needed screening. [DB emphasis] Link
State of Connecticut
General Assembly
Proposed Bill No. 5050
Introduced by:
REP. DILLON, 92nd Dist.
AN ACT ENSURING THE HEALTH OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES RETURNING FROM SERVICE IN OPERATION ENDURING
FREEDOM AND OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
That chapter 505a of the general statutes be amended to require that
any resident of Connecticut who is a member of the armed forces of
any state or of any reserve component of the armed forces of the 3
United States and who has been called to active service in the armed
forces of the United States for Operation Enduring Freedom or
Operation Iraqi Freedom be screened for exposure to depleted
uranium upon returning to the state
Statement of Purpose:
To safeguard the health of members of the armed forces returning to
the state from service in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Link to pdf
posted by exoplanet at 7:18 AM
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