WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Secretary of the Navy and Attorney General Garland expressing concerns over the Navy’s failure to adjudicate claims submitted since August 2022 for Camp Lejeune water contamination.
“We write concerning reported delays in settling claims and lawsuits filed by veterans, military personnel, and their families related to injuries associated with water contamination at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. It is imperative that the Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Department of Justice (DOJ) act expeditiously to ensure these individuals receive the justice they deserve without undue delay,” the members wrote.
The members continued, “According to recent reports, over 45,000 claims have been filed since enactment, yet the Navy has taken no action to resolve a single claim. […] Reports also suggest that many of those filing claims are elderly and/or have adverse health conditions and a growing number have died without seeing a resolution to their case. Further delay is unacceptable, and it is critically important that JAG and DOJ move quickly to adjudicate or settle these cases in a transparent, efficient manner. Anything less is an injustice. Constituents have reached out to our offices with concerns about the Navy and DOJ’s delay in adjudicating claims and settling lawsuits.”
“Our nation’s service members and their families have made incredible sacrifices in service to the United States. We owe it to them to provide efficient and timely processing of their claims resulting from government negligence. We respectfully request a response to these questions no later than June 9, 2023,” the members concluded.
The letter was also signed by Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Don Davis (D-NC), and Valerie Foushee (D-NC).
Read the full letter HERE.
