North Carolina Congressman Don Davis used Veterans Day to call on Congress to do more for veterans and military families harmed by contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, saying the federal government has a moral obligation to help those still waiting for justice.
Speaking on the House floor Wednesday, the First District Democrat paid tribute to Marines and their families who were unknowingly exposed to toxic chemicals in the drinking water at the military installation for decades.
"These families lived, worked, and raised children on the base for years, not realizing that the drinking water could make them sick," Davis said.
The contamination affected drinking water supplies at Camp Lejeune from the 1950s through the 1980s. Exposure to chemicals including trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, benzene and vinyl chloride has been linked to several cancers and other serious health conditions.
Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, allowing people exposed to the contaminated water to pursue compensation from the federal government. More than 400,000 administrative claims have been filed, but four years later, many veterans and their families are still waiting for their cases to be resolved.
"As a veteran, I believe we have a sacred obligation to these service members and their families to right this wrong," Davis told his colleagues.
Davis has firsthand experience with military service. A native of Snow Hill, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994 and served as a commissioned Air Force officer until 2001.
During his military career, Davis coordinated Air Force One and congressional delegation operations at Andrews Air Force Base. He also served as a mortuary officer, supporting military families dealing with the deaths of loved ones.
He later returned to eastern North Carolina, where he taught military history, national security affairs and leadership through East Carolina University's Air Force ROTC program.
His Veterans Day remarks focused on the responsibility Congress has to those who served and the families who sacrificed alongside them.
"Veterans Day is a reminder of why we should take care of every veteran and their family members who have been affected and in the most efficient and timely manner possible," Davis said. "It's not only the right thing to do, Mr. Speaker. It's the human thing to do."
The remarks come as federal litigation over Camp Lejeune's contaminated water continues in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed, while attorneys representing claimants and the federal government continue to disagree over how claims should be evaluated and resolved.
