Bill Text: IL HR0155 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs to study the effects of depleted uranium exposure on servicemembers and veterans.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-24 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit [HR0155 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2015-HR0155-Introduced.html
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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Depleted uranium is the matter left over when most | ||||||
3 | of the highly radioactive
types of uranium are removed for use | ||||||
4 | as nuclear fuel or nuclear weapons; and
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5 | WHEREAS, The United States Military uses tank armor and | ||||||
6 | some bullets made with depleted
uranium to penetrate enemy | ||||||
7 | armored vehicles; and
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8 | WHEREAS, The manufacturing of enriched uranium from | ||||||
9 | natural uranium used in reactors or
weapons leaves behind | ||||||
10 | "depleted" uranium; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Depleted uranium has 40% less radioactivity, but | ||||||
12 | the exact same chemical
toxicity as natural uranium; and
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13 | WHEREAS, When a projectile containing depleted uranium | ||||||
14 | penetrates a vehicle, small
pieces of the uranium can become | ||||||
15 | embedded in muscle and soft tissue; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Servicemembers exposed to depleted uranium may | ||||||
17 | have also inhaled or swallowed
small airborne particles of | ||||||
18 | depleted uranium; and
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19 | WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of |
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1 | Veterans Affairs, some veterans of the Gulf
War, Operation | ||||||
2 | Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New | ||||||
3 | Dawn may
have been exposed to depleted uranium as a result of | ||||||
4 | being in or near a vehicle that was hit by
friendly fire, | ||||||
5 | entering or being near burning vehicles, being near fires | ||||||
6 | involving depleted uranium
munitions, or from salvaging | ||||||
7 | damaged vehicles; and
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8 | WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of | ||||||
9 | Veterans Affairs, no health problems
associated with depleted | ||||||
10 | uranium exposure have been found in veterans exposed to it; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Many servicemembers who believed they were | ||||||
12 | exposed to depleted uranium have gone overseas
for a more | ||||||
13 | sophisticated urine test to detect for exposure; and
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14 | WHEREAS, Pfc. Aaron Barnes of Fulton County served in Iraq | ||||||
15 | for 26 months and became ill a year after his 2nd
deployment; | ||||||
16 | and
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17 | WHEREAS, Tests were performed which showed a large mass on | ||||||
18 | his kidney; he told doctors
at the Iowa City VA Hospital that | ||||||
19 | he believed it was a result of exposure to depleted uranium | ||||||
20 | during his deployments
in Iraq; after being told that the mass | ||||||
21 | was not a result of depleted uranium exposure, he was sent home
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22 | without a biopsy or additional testing; after having the mass |
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1 | removed from his kidney, a biopsy showed a rare cancer
had | ||||||
2 | developed; and
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3 | WHEREAS, Pfc. Barnes began chemotherapy treatment | ||||||
4 | following the removal of the mass from his kidney; he passed | ||||||
5 | away on August 24,
2011, leaving behind
his wife, Mandy, and 2 | ||||||
6 | children, Emma and David; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Servicemembers who believe they were exposed to | ||||||
8 | depleted uranium have had a difficult time in the
VA system | ||||||
9 | while being tested and treated for exposure; therefore, be it
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10 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
11 | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
12 | urge the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois | ||||||
13 | Department of
Veterans' Affairs to thoroughly study the effects | ||||||
14 | of depleted uranium exposure on Illinois
servicemembers and | ||||||
15 | veterans; and be it further
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16 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
17 | presented to the Director of the Illinois
Department of Public | ||||||
18 | Health and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' | ||||||
19 | Affairs.
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