The Camp Lejeune Justice Act

Camp Lejeune Justice Act Bills Pending in U.S. House and Senate

During 2021, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. These are groundbreaking pieces of legislation, finally acknowledging the right of Marines and their families to pursue justice for the harms caused by contaminated water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987. This page contains comprehensive information on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act including the effect it will have for servicemembers and their families who developed serious illnesses as a result of exposure to harmful chemicals in Camp Lejeune drinking water.

What is the Camp Lejeune Justice Act?

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act is an important piece of legislation that will enable hundreds of thousands of veterans, civilian workers and their family members to seek justice at last for harms done decades ago. The U.S. Marine Corps Base in North Carolina includes training areas, housing, daycares, and schools. Two of the wells servicing these facilities during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace, were contaminated with high levels of harmful chemicals.

These chemicals, which include benzene, PCE (perchloroethylene, a drycleaning solvent), and TCE (tricholorethylene, a degreaser), were used on base for cleaning military gear, leaked from onsite fuel tanks, and were utilized by an offsite dry cleaning facility. A long history of botched testing, ignored reports, slow investigation, and other acts of negligence resulted in significant delays in eliminating the hazardous wells. Finally, in 1985, the dangerous wells were taken out of commission, but it took many more years before veterans were warned of the exposure they had faced.

In February of 2014, the CDC announced its findings that the tainted Camp Lejeune water significantly increased the risk for several diseases, including many forms of cancer, ALS, and certain birth defects. Hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families, including Marines, civilian workers, and other personnel, were potentially exposed to these toxic chemicals. Since 2012 and the passage of the Janey Esminger Act, medical care for victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination has been provided free of charge for 15 qualifying illnesses.

The Camp LeJeune Justice Act would take the government's response one step closer to justice for survivors and family members. North Carolina law prohibits victims of the water contamination from bringing their case to court due to the amount of time that has lapsed since the exposure occurred. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act would enable anyone harmed by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and their loved ones to pursue damages by filing a claim against the Marines in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

The Senate's Camp Lejeune Justice Act S. 3176

Senate Bill 3176, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators in November of 2021. Sponsored by U.S. Senators Thomas Tillis (R-NC), Richard Burr (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Gary Peters (D-MI), the Camp Lejeune Justice Act sends a message to veterans and their families that the government sees their suffering and seeks to make amends.

This bill vindicates victims of Camp Lejeune's contaminated water. Far too many veterans, their family members, and others have suffered from debilitating, deadly diseases resulting from their exposure on base. Granting victims their overdue day in court is a step toward justice and accountability. Senator Blumenthal, member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs and Judiciary Committees

H.R. 2192: The Camp Lejeune Justice Act

Similar to the Senate bill is House Resolution 2192, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. Introduced by U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Greg Murphy (R-NC), and David Price (D-NC) in March 2021, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act now has more than 125 cosponsors. The bill, which is estimated to cost $7-8 billion in damages to veterans and their family members, is currently stalled due to budgetary concerns.

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs held a roundtable in January, 2022, "The True Cost of our Promise to Toxic-Exposed Veterans", to better understand the effects of toxic exposures to servicemembers, including water contamination at Camp Lejeune. According to U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), chairman of the House Committee, "We made a promise to servicemembers when we sent them into harm's way that we would care for them when they came home. When we go to war we don't nickel and dime the Department of Defense, and we cannot try to pinch pennies when it comes to covering the care for toxic-exposed veterans."

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act - Justice for Veterans Now!

Veterans and their loved ones have suffered from severe and life-threatening illnesses for decades as a result of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will give these families the right to pursue justice in a court of law and seek damages for the pain, suffering and loss that have resulted from contaminated Lejeune water.

Sign the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act petition calls on legislators to pass this historic and vital piece of legislation as a remedy to the harm done to countless servicemembers and their families. Add your voice by signing the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition today!