FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Green Continues Battle for K2 Veterans, “Every minute I spend fighting on behalf of our warriors is worth it.”
Read more from Catherine Herridge who broke the news on X, @C_Herridge.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Mark Green (TN-07), a veteran of the War on Terror and cancer survivor, is introducing the bipartisan K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 alongside Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08). The bill establishes additional presumption of service connections for certain diseases—including cancer—that occur in veterans who suffered toxic exposure while serving at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2) in Uzbekistan, also known as Camp Stronghold Freedom, during the War on Terror.
The presumption of service connections includes any cancer, thyroid disease, bone disease, cardiovascular disease, skin disease, neurological disease, reproductive disease, respiratory disease, endocrine disease, liver disease, kidney disease, medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, primary immune regulatory disorder, blood disorder, and cataracts.
Rep. Green said, “Over five decades ago, our troops were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and when they came home, they were denied the care they needed. Two decades ago, those serving in the War on Terror were exposed to burn pits. For many like myself, this exposure caused rare cancers and other health conditions and yet, it took twenty years for the federal government to recognize presumption of care.
Unfortunately, it looks like our military institutions haven’t learned from the past because it has now taken twenty years for veterans who served at the Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2) to get the care they need. Shortly after September 11, 2001, U.S. forces were deployed to K2, a former Soviet base, because of its proximity to al Qaeda and Taliban targets in northern Afghanistan. From 2001-2005, nearly 7,000 U.S. troops participating in Operation Enduring Freedom were exposed to toxic chemicals there. Many K2 veterans have now died from rare forms of cancer and other diseases, while others are left with debilitating health conditions. For too long, the U.S. government refused to recognize a service connection, leaving these warriors and their families nowhere to turn.
Unless we learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it. It's time to stop this cycle of abdicated responsibility and get K2 veterans the healthcare they are owed. We must also fully recognize the damage sending servicemembers to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base caused and work to achieve justice for these veterans and their families.
I’ve been working on this issue since my first term in Congress. Despite it being an uphill battle, every minute I’ve spent fighting has been well worth it.
And we’ve made progress. Before Rep. Lynch and I began this fight five years ago, few people had ever heard of K2. Now, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has acknowledged some presumption of care, and President Trump signed an executive order to help K2 veterans. However, there is still more to be done. I will not rest while the possibility remains that not all K2 claims will be accepted. We must erase all doubt. That is why I am once again introducing the bipartisan K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025. This bill goes far beyond any action to date to ensure K2 veterans get the help they need. This legislation will cover a vast swath of conditions caused by toxic exposure. As long as I am serving in Congress, I will work to ensure the voices of K2 veterans and their loved ones are heard.”
Rep. Lynch said, “There is now irrefutable evidence that American service members were exposed to cancer-causing hazards while serving at the Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, and yet there is still no assurance the VA will accept their claims for those service-connected disability benefits. Many of the brave men and women who served at K2 are battling rare cancers and disorders caused by toxic exposure, and this bill includes a broad list of ailments that would qualify for a presumption of service connected disability and benefit eligibility. I have been working with Rep. Green for five years now to ensure our K2 veterans and their families receive the full health care, benefits, and respect they have earned, and we will continue our fight until we fulfill America’s promise to every veteran.”
Matthew A. Erpelding, Executive Director of the Stronghold Freedom Foundation, said, “The K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 is a landmark step toward justice. For over two decades, K2 veterans have battled not only rare and aggressive illnesses but also a system that failed to acknowledge their sacrifice. This bill finally honors their service and confronts the truth of what happened at Camp Stronghold Freedom. We commend Representatives Green and Lynch for their unwavering leadership and call on Congress to pass this legislation without delay. Our veterans cannot afford to wait another day—let alone another generation—for the care they earned.”
Read the bill here.
Background on K2:
Over 15,000 U.S. servicemembers deployed to K2, a former Soviet base leased to the U.S., between 2001 and 2005 to support military operations into northern Afghanistan following September 11, 2001. The Department of Defense now admits that “up to 100%” of the nearly 16,000 service members stationed at K2 were likely exposed to hazardous petrochemicals as well as radiation on a daily basis. An Operational Health Risk Assessment from November 2001 found that soil contaminated with jet fuel could have adverse health effects should vapors be inhaled. In 2024, CBS News and Catherine Herridge obtained military records that dive deeper into the hazards at K2 regarding yellowcake uranium readings. Approximately 2,500 current and former service members have reported rare cancers or other illnesses they believe are linked to their deployments.
Additional legislative efforts:
K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020:
- February 27, 2020: Reps. Green and Lynch introduce the K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020. Read about this bill in ABC News.
- April 28, 2020: Rep. Green’s Statement on VA Action to Study Veterans’ Toxic Exposure at K2 Air Base.
- October 16, 2020: Reps. Green, Lynch, and Gabbard send bipartisan letter, urging inclusion of K2 bill in FY2021 NDAA.
- December 3, 2020: Rep. Green’s K2 legislation included in the final FY21 NDAA.
- December 16, 2020: Rep. Green’s statement on New Defense Executive Order for K2 Veterans.
- January 19, 2021: President Trump used Rep. Green’s K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020 as a template for his executive order requesting that the Secretary of Defense recognize Uzbekistan as a combat zone for purposes of medical care. Read the reporting from CBS’ Catherine Herridge and Jessica Kegu here.
K2 Veterans Care Act:
- February 25, 2021: A bicameral, bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the K2 Veterans Care Act. Read more from News Channel 5 Nashville’s Alexandra Koehn.
Additional actions:
- February 6, 2020: Rep. Green testifies before the House Oversight Committee hearing on K2 veterans.
- August 8, 2024: Rep. Green introduces the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2024.
- March 11, 2025: Rep. Green votes to continue the Trump administration’s progress.
Read more below:
- Fox News op-ed: “Veterans Day reminds us that freedom cannot be taken for granted.”
- CNN op-ed: “The veterans who need Congress to act in 2021.”
- Tennessean op-ed: “Veterans Exposed to Cancer-Causing Chemicals at K2 Air Base Deserve Justice.”
Rep. Green’s story:
Rep. Mark Green deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq during the War on Terror. After returning home, Green was diagnosed with thyroid and colon cancer with no genetic predispositions. The likely explanation for the cancers was his close proximity to burn pits while stationed in Iraq. Because of his own experience with toxic exposure, Green has worked diligently in Congress to ensure veterans get the health care they need, and to hold the military accountable for preventable toxic exposure. Listen to Rep. Green talk about his burn pit exposure and cancer diagnosis at the United in Blue Colorectal Cancer Rally here and with the Washington Post here.
###
