|
Legislation & Politics | ||
Letter to Representatives supporting H.R. 2410, the "Depleted Uranium Munitions Study Act"December 15, 2005 Dear Representative: Oh behalf of the 1.4 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the thousands of veterans who are our members, I am writing to urge you to cosponsor two bills that would aid our military men and women who, as a result of their tours of duty in the Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Afghanistan and the conflicts in Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro, have been exposed to depleted uranium munitions. H.R. 2410, the "Depleted Uranium Munitions Study Act," would require studies regarding the health effects of exposure to depleted uranium munitions and require the cleanup and mitigation of depleted uranium contamination at sites of use and production. The other bill, H.R. 202, "Depleted Uranium Screening and Testing Act of 2005," would provide for the identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during military service to depleted uranium and provide for health testing of these members. Depleted uranium munitions have been used by the United States Armed Forces in all of the above conflicts with approximately 150 metric tons of depleted uranium being used during Operation Iraqi Freedom alone. Because of its unique characteristics, burning and becoming airborne upon impact, it has the ability to harm a large number of troops and civilians by mere inhalation or ingestion. No definitive cause has been established for the various illnesses collectively know as Gulf War Syndrome that affect approximately 130,000 members and former members of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Persian Gulf War. Unknown at this time are the health effects of exposure of the children of those veterans. Because depleted uranium munitions health effects have not been adequately studied and veterans and currently deployed members of the Armed Forces have not been notified of their exposure or treated for this health risk, these two bills are absolutely necessary to study the health effects of exposure and environmental contamination, mitigation and cleanup, and to institute screening and testing programs. The highest regard should be given to the health and safety of the members of the United States Armed Forces. Please support these men and women by becoming a cosponsor of H.R. 202 and H.R. 2410.
Charles M. Loveless |
Raymond Summers
|
 |
|
.gif)
