Washington D.C. – At a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today, Senator Burr urged for passage of a bill he introduced that would help servicemembers and families who were exposed to water contaminants while stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC. 

To view Senator Burr’s comments on the pressing need to pass this legislation, please click here.  

Jerry Ensminger, a former Marine whose daughter became sick with a rare form of leukemia after being born at Camp Lejeune, provided testimony for the Committee regarding the Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2011.  To watch Mr. Ensminger testify at the hearing, please click here.  

“After hearing Jerry’s story, I hope my colleagues will agree that this is the right thing to do.  Families like Jerry’s have already waited too long for answers they deserve and the help they need,” Senator Burr said today regarding Mr. Ensminger’s testimony.

In his opening statement, Senator Burr also discussed other legislation he introduced that is currently pending before the Committee, one of which addresses the significant backlog in disability claims by allowing up to a one-year retroactive effective date for disability compensation awarded as a result of a fully-developed claim (S. 423).   Another bill (S. 928) holds the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for funds saved through competitive bidding for major VA medical facilities.

To watch Sen. Burr’s opening statement in its entirety, please click here.

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