How Can I Help?
Join Us in Calling for Justice: Sign the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition
Hundreds of thousands of Marines and their family members as well as civilian workers and other personnel were exposed to toxic and carcinogenic substances in their drinking water at U.S. Marine Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Two different wells on Camp Lejeune were contaminated with VOCs and benzene, substances known to cause cancer, infertility and birth defects, and cause other chronic and life-threatening illnesses. While persons harmed by Camp Lejeune water contamination have access to free medical care, they are unable to seek justice for this tragic wrongdoing in a court of law due to a provision in North Carolina state law.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition calls on our elected officials around the nation to pass the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. This legislation, now under consideration in both the U.S. House and Senate, would enable Veterans and their loved ones to file a claim in federal court for the pain, suffering and loss resulting from their exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. These claims would be handled in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
You can help this cause by taking the following actions:
1. Sign the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition
One of the most meaningful things you can do today is add your name to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition. We are Veterans, family members, and supporters who believe victims of Camp Lejeune water contamination have waited long enough for justice. The petition puts pressure on our elected officials to pass this vital piece of legislation and finally enable victims to have their day in court.
2. Contact Your Senator
In addition to signing the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition, you can contact your U.S. Senators directly. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act (S. 3176) is a bipartisan bill that was introduced into the Senate in November of 2021 by Republicans Thomas Tillis (NC) and Richard Burr (NC) and Democrats Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Gary Peters (MI). Contact your U.S. Senators today to ask them to support the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in the name of Veterans everywhere.
3. Contact Your Representative
The House’s Camp Lejeune Justice Act Resolution (H.R. 2192) was introduced by U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Greg Murphy (R-NC), and David Price (D-NC) in March 2021. More than 125 congresspeople have signed on as cosponsors, yet the resolution has not yet been passed. Contact your U.S. Representatives to demand passage of this important resolution.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act will finally enable hundreds of thousands of veterans, civilian workers and their family members who lived and worked on Camp Lejeune to seek justice for this tragic harm done decades ago. The toxic water was used for drinking and bathing, servicing training areas, housing, daycares, and schools.
Two of the wells that provided water to large portions of the Camp from the 1950s to the 1980s, Hadna Point and Tarawa Terrace, were contaminated with high levels of harmful chemicals. including benzene, PCE (perchloroethylene, a drycleaning solvent), and TCE (tricholorethylene, a degreaser). 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 decades passed before the victims were notified of the hazard. To this day, they still have no legal recourse to pursue justice.
Veterans and their loved ones who developed serious and life-threatening disease from Camp Lejeune water have been overlooked for too long. These individuals gave selflessly for their country and have suffered gravely as a result. You can help these families by adding your name to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Petition.
