Published: 01-30-09
Leads bipartisan effort to eliminate preventable hazards that have killed U.S. troops overseas
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas today introduced legislation to protect U.S. military service members by strengthening safety standards for overseas military facilities infrastructure and equipment.
The Ensuring Safe Facilities and Equipment for American Troops Overseas Act would help eliminate preventable hazards posed to our troops by requiring the Pentagon to establish and enforce tougher safety standards on these overseas military compounds. Sen. Cornyn was joined by his colleagues - Sens. Joe Lieberman D-Conn. Mark Pryor D-Ark. and Claire McCaskill D-Mo. - in introducing this bipartisan legislation.
Sen. Cornyn has long championed ensuring the safety and security of our troops. This latest effort was inspired by Larraine McGee of Huntsville who met with Sen. Cornyn last year. Her son Staff Sergeant Christopher Lee Everett was tragically killed in central Iraq as a result of being electrocuted while power-washing a Humvee in his unit’s motor pool. To date at least 12 troops possibly as many as 18 have been killed by electrocution while deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror.
“Our troops face daily threats from enemies abroad in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to these threats and dangers inherent in combat duty our troops face many hazards to their personal safety. We have a duty to protect these troops serving in harm’s way and preventable hazards such as electrocution must be eliminated. This legislation will help increase the safety of our troops abroad by ensuring higher safety regulations are established and enforced” Sen. Cornyn said.
Congressman Solomon Ortiz D-Texas is planning on introducing a companion measure in the House of Representatives.
Background
Last year Sen. Cornyn sought to attach this bipartisan measure to the 2009 Defense Authorization Bill after it received unanimous support in the Senate but it was ultimately blocked on a procedural motion.
Electrocution is only one of the many safety risks facing U.S. military service members serving in the Middle East and elsewhere. In addition to the dangers posed by electrocution troops also face the risk of sickness due to poor water sanitation accidents due to poor structural integrity of facilities and unnecessary fire risk due to substandard construction of facilities.
Specifically Sen. Cornyn’s legislation would require the Department of Defense to certify to Congress that:
• Appropriate industry standards have been incorporated into military safety regulations related to fire protection structural integrity electrical systems water treatment and telecommunication networks;
• All contracts for construction installation repair maintenance and operation of expeditionary facilities for U.S. forces incorporates these same standards; and
• These standards will be mandatory for all current and future military operations.
