[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 31, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING AMERICA'S VETERANS AND CARING FOR CAMP LEJEUNE FAMILIES ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Miller) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 
Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, 
which the House will consider later today, especially title I, the 
Janey Ensminger Act.
  Title I and a similar House bill honor a 9-year-old girl who died 
from childhood leukemia, most likely because she was exposed to 
contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, when her 
mother was pregnant with her.
  And by honoring Janey Ensminger, we honor those Americans who have 
shown remarkable determination to make their government do the right 
thing. They have struggled for more than a decade to learn exactly what 
chemicals were in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, water that 
perhaps a million marines and their families were exposed to over a 30-
year period, to learn the health effects of exposure to the 
contaminated drinking water, and to seek justice for those harmed.
  They took on their own government, including the Marine Corps they 
had served and to which they are still loyal, but which has been 
shamefully reluctant to accept responsibility for the water 
contamination.
  Janey's father, Jerry Ensminger, is a retired marine who lived with 
his family on base at Camp Lejeune for a time. Jerry watched his 
daughter become ill from leukemia, struggle with the disease, and 
eventually lose the struggle. Years after he watched his daughter die, 
Jerry learned of the water contamination at Camp Lejeune and has not 
rested since.
  I first met Jerry 4 years ago when he testified powerfully on the 
Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Investigations and 
Oversight, which I then chaired. Jerry worked shoulder to shoulder with 
others, including Tom Townsend, Mike Partain, Jim Fontella, the Byron 
family and William Hill against long odds.

                              {time}  1220

  The Janey Ensminger Act is the result of their remarkable efforts. 
They were always faithful to the cause of justice for those harmed by 
the contaminated drinking water.
  The Janey Ensminger Act will require the VA to provide medical 
coverage for certain illnesses to veterans who served at Camp Lejeune 
between 1957 and 1987, and to their families. The VA will be the 
``payer of last resort.'' Justice requires no less for the people 
harmed by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune.
  The harm will never be fully made right. The bill will not help Janey 
or her father. But the Janey Ensminger Act acknowledges responsibility 
and provides needed treatment for many others.
  The marines who have championed this legislation served our democracy 
when they wore our Nation's uniform, and they served our democracy by 
their determination to obtain justice for the people harmed by the 
toxic drinking water at Camp Lejeune.

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