US Congress Calls for Report on Qarmat Ali

On June 17, 2011, United States Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia (D), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced a provision in the Defense Authorization bill to immediately finalize a report on the hazardous situation at the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Facility, an installation under the oversight of defense contractor KBR.

The Department of Defense issued a partial report in September 2009, but key questions remained unanswered because of the delay in the release of the second half of the report, which has been overdue since late 2010. Senator Manchin has called on the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the second part of the review is completed expeditiously and submitted to the Congressional defense committees within 60 days.

“These brave servicemembers and their families have waited far too long for answers,” Senator Manchin said. “They deserve to know the truth about what happened to them and why. They also deserve to know that their government and their elected representatives in Congress will do everything possible to make sure they – and all our veterans – get the respect and help they deserve. I hope that this report finally sheds light on the truth these brave servicemembers deserve and have deserved for years.”

Doyle currently represents National Guard soldiers and members of the British Royal Air Force in their lawsuit against KBR for exposure to sodium dichromate (hexavalent chromium) at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant.

More information is available here.