SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to protect members of the Illinois National Guard from chemical hazards they may be exposed to during deployment, state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, is leading efforts to require health tests in legislation that passed the Illinois House with bipartisan support recently.
“The people who risk their lives for us deserve to be taken care of after they serve abroad,” Smiddy said. “Depleted uranium has proven to have devastating effects on people who have been exposed to it on active duty, and Illinois owes it to our veterans to learn if they’re at risk due to exposure.”
Smiddy introduced House Bill 6123 after he learned about a constituent whose son died after returning home from a deployment in the Illinois National Guard due to uranium exposure. The bill requires Illinois National Guard members, who have served in areas where depleted uranium exposure is common, to undergo testing for depleted uranium both before and after deployment. The Illinois Department of Veteran’s Affairs would be responsible for the testing costs. Many soldiers are experiencing health problems as a result of their exposure to uranium. The exposure is most common due to the use of “burn pits” that are common for waste disposal on military deployments. Often, materials being disposed of in the pits contain harmful materials, including uranium, which leads to exposure for those in close proximity to the pit.
“This bills attempts to promptly find out if a soldier’s uranium exposure levels could be dangerous so they can get the help they need,” Smiddy said. “This bill provides a small test that can make a world of difference for veterans returning home, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to promptly pass this legislation.”
House Bill 6123 passed the House with bipartisan support and now awaits consideration in the Senate. For more information, contact Smiddy’s full-time constituent service office at 309-848-9098 or email RepSmiddy@gmail.com.
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