FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rep. Green Statement on VA Action to Study Veterans’ Toxic Exposure at K2 Air Base
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs has confirmed it will conduct a new health study of veterans’ toxic exposure at K2 Air Base in Uzbekistan in response to Rep. Green’s bill with Rep. Stephen Lynch, the K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020.
In February, Rep. Green and Rep. Lynch, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee’s National Security Subcommittee, introduced legislation to hold the DOD and VA accountable for the toxic exposure of American service members deployed to K2 Air Base. The VA confirmed it is taking action to address K2 health risks after the Subcommittee launched a bipartisan investigation into these concerns.
Green said, “It’s long past time to address veterans’ toxic exposure at K2 Air Base, and the VA has taken a positive step forward in response to the Subcommittee’s investigation and my legislation with Chairman Lynch by committing to doing a health study on K2 for the very first time. From severely harmful chemicals like Agent Orange in Vietnam to the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, our soldiers continue to face toxic exposure as they protect and defend our Nation. The federal government waited far too long in the past to acknowledge these issues, and it was shameful that our government let troops’ conditions go by unaddressed. We aren’t going to let that happen again.”
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