Bill Text: NJ SCR174 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress and President of United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, "Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-06-11 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [SCR174 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-SCR174-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress and President of United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging the Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, the "Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015."
Whereas, Millions of veterans have proudly served in our country's Armed Forces over the years; and
Whereas, During their service, many of our veterans have come into contact with various toxic chemicals, including Agent Orange and other dioxin-contaminated herbicides during the Vietnam War, various neurotoxins during the Gulf War, and chemical weapons and burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn; and
Whereas, This exposure has been linked to certain diseases which may affect both the veterans who were exposed and their progeny; and
Whereas, There are still yet unexplained service-connected ailments and undetected residual medical conditions, including potential congenital malformations, resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals, the extent, composition, and effects of which we do not yet understand; and
Whereas, The pain, financial burden, and emotional turmoil that these medical ailments may cause are serious and worth addressing, particularly in light of the sacrifice that members of the Armed Forces made that led to such exposure; and
Whereas, The "Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015," H.R.1769 and S.901, a bipartisan bill, has been introduced in Congress, to create a national center within the Department of Veterans Affairs to research treatment and diagnosis of health conditions of descendents of veterans exposed to toxins during their military service; and
Whereas, This measure would also authorize the Department of Defense to declassify certain incidents of exposure by servicemembers to toxic substances, create a database of congenital anomalies, and devise a national outreach campaign on the potential long-term health effects of exposure to toxic substances on servicemembers and their descendents; and
Whereas, Given the importance and potential impact of such a measure on veterans living in New Jersey and their children, this Legislature urges the Congress and President of the United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, the "Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015"; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):
1. The New Jersey Legislature urges the Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, the "Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015."
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the General Assembly, to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress elected thereto from New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This Concurrent Resolution urges the Congress and the President of the United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015.
Millions of veterans have proudly served in our country's Armed Forces over the years. During their service, many of our veterans have come into contact with various toxic chemicals, including Agent Orange and other dioxin-contaminated herbicides during the Vietnam War, various neurotoxins during the Gulf War, and chemical weapons and burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. This exposure has been linked to certain presumptive diseases that may affect both the veterans who were exposed and their progeny. There are still yet unexplained service-connected ailments and undetected residual medical conditions, including potential congenital malformations, resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals, the extent, composition, and effects of which we do not yet understand. The pain, financial burden, and emotional turmoil that these medical ailments may cause are serious and worth addressing, particularly in light of the sacrifice of our veterans made that led to such exposure.
The Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015, H.R.1769 and S.901, a bipartisan bill, has been introduced in Congress to create a national center within the Department of Veterans Affairs to research treatment and diagnosis of health conditions of descendents of veterans exposed to toxins during their military service. This measure would also authorize the Department of Defense to declassify certain incidents of exposure by servicemembers to toxic substances, create a database of congenital anomalies, and devise a national outreach campaign on the potential long-term health effects of exposure to toxic substances on servicemembers and their descendents. Given the importance and potential impact of such a measure on veterans living in New Jersey and their children, this Legislature urges the Congress and President of the United States to enact H.R.1769 and S.901, the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015.
