Portland, Ore. - May 3, 2007 - State Representative Chip Shields (D-N/NE Portland) carried HB 2832-A to unanimous passage on the Oregon House of Representatives floor today.  HB 2832-A directs the Oregon Director of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans in obtaining screenings and treatment for exposure to depleted uranium.  It also creates a task force to study the effects of depleted uranium and Gulf War Syndrome.

 

Depleted uranium is the by-product of the uranium enrichment process.  It contains about 50 percent of the radioactivity of natural uranium.  It is used in munitions designed to pierce heavy armor.  These munitions were first used in the Persian Gulf War and are still being used today--putting current service members in the Middle East at risk.

 

"This bill is about protecting the health of our veterans and those in combat today and in the future," said Shields.

 

Shields said there is a growing body of evidence connecting exposure to depleted uranium and a variety of serious health problems like lung and kidney damage. It may also be associated with a mysterious illness --Gulf War Syndrome, which is still unexplained to this day--and plagues hundreds of thousands of Gulf War veterans.

 

"The issue facing today's troops is not unlike the threat posed by 'Agent Orange' to Vietnam-Era veterans," said Shields. "We owe our troops the most comprehensive protection, screening and treatment possible and this bill takes us one step closer to meeting our obligation to those who serve our country."

 

The bill now moves to the Oregon Senate for consideration.

 

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