State Rep. Chip Shields
May 12th, 2009
MEDIA ADVISORY
Media Contact:
Eamon McCleery
503-986-1443
Kellog, Brown and Root alleged to have "disregarded and downplayed the extreme danger of wholesale site contamination" in Iraq.
HB 3480 would provide funds to Guard members who develop cancer as a result of exposure to hexavalent chromium at facility.
Hearing details:
Date: Wednesday-May 13
Time: 3:00 P.M.
Room: HR 50
Where: State Capitol Building
Salem, Ore. - Representative Chip Shields (D-N/NE Portland) announced today that the House Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rules will hear from several members of the Oregon National Guard on Wednesday, May 13 who were exposed to the toxic industrial compound hexavalent chromium while serving in Iraq.
The soldiers will be testifying in support of House Bill 3480, which would authorize the Oregon Military Department to make payments to members of Oregon National Guard who develop cancer as a result of their exposure to hexavalent chromium.
"This bill is about standing up for our soldiers and their families," said Rep Shields. "Passing this bill is a very modest recognition of their pain and sacrifice."
In 2003, Oregon and Indiana Guard Members were assigned to protect Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) employees who were rebuilding a water treatment plant outside of Basra, Iraq. Soldiers reportedly saw large amounts of an orange-colored dust that contained hexavalent chromium on the ground and covering the pipes in the water treatment plant. Exposure to small amounts of hexavalent chromium has shown a high increase the risk of leukemia as well as lung, stomach, brain, renal, bladder and bone cancers. Three Oregon National Guard members who were exposed have already contracted cancer.
A group of Indiana Guard Members began a lawsuit against KBR in February of last year claiming the contractor "disregarded and downplayed" the seriousness of the contamination.
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