[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 125 (Thursday, July 20, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Camp Lejeune Justice Act

  Mr. President, as my colleagues know so well, as Federal officials, 
one of the primary duties of our offices is to serve millions of 
constituents when they interface with the Federal Government.
  As for North Carolina, my constituents include one of our country's 
largest population of Active-Duty military members and veterans, 
including those who serve at Camp Lejeune.
  As we know, between 1953 and 1987, veterans who served at Camp 
Lejeune were exposed to toxic water. These men and women are now 
experiencing various health challenges, ranging from deadly cancers to 
Parkinson's disease.
  In order to help, I was proud to support the PACT Act, which included 
the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. The bill was signed into law last year 
and allows veterans who are suffering to receive damages and to become 
eligible for VA care. However, after nearly a year, not a single claim 
has been processed.
  On May 3, one struggling veteran wrote me this handwritten letter. In 
it, he describes the toll that these delays are taking on older 
veterans who are nearing the end of their lives.
  He writes:

       I'm certain obituaries posted in local newspapers across 
     the country [now include] marines or family members who lived 
     on Camp Lejeune, drank its water, bathed and cooked using it, 
     who have died from its use.

  This man is one of the over 70,000 veterans in North Carolina and 
across the country who are waiting for action.
  It is unacceptable that the Navy and the DOJ have failed to process 
any of these claims and have failed to deliver a plan or a strategy for 
doing so. That is why several of my Senate and House colleagues and I 
demanded an explanation from the Secretary of the Navy and the 
Department of Justice. The Navy's response to our letter was wholly 
inadequate. It failed to answer critical questions and also failed to 
provide a timeline for responding to these veterans' claims.
  Each and every one of our veterans deserves to be treated with the 
dignity and respect befitting their service to this Nation. When they 
face health challenges related to their service at facilities like Camp 
Lejeune, their claims must be dealt with properly and completely.
  The Navy and the DOJ have a responsibility to act, and I am calling 
on these Departments to do so now.
  I will continue to advocate for those who served at Camp Lejeune 
until they receive the care and the respect they deserve.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.