A House committee is investigating cancer diagnoses in more
than 400 veterans who served in Uzbekistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks.
The House Oversight and Reform National Security
Subcommittee plans to hold a hearing Nov. 18 to determine whether the
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense are taking the health concerns of
these former service members seriously.
"The courageous Americans who served at
[Karshi-Khanabad, or K2] were among the first boots on the ground after the
September 11 terrorist attacks. Today, many of them face devastating health
conditions potentially tied to their service. They are looking for answers --
answers our government has denied them for years," Subcommittee Chairman
Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., said in a release Wednesday.
He added that a bipartisan committee has found "clear
evidence that K2 veterans were exposed to toxic and environmental
hazards."
"Yet the VA has refused to provide the full range of
treatments and benefits these veterans deserve. I remain committed to
advocating on behalf of our K2 heroes and look forward to hearing the VA and
DoD's plans to right this injustice," Lynch said.
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