Published: 09-26-08
Ensure Troops Overseas have Safe Equipment and Facilities
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas and U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz D-Texas members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees respectively announced this evening that they have introduced and are seeking swift action on legislation to strengthen safety standards for facilities infrastructure and equipment supporting operations of U.S. military forces overseas.
Sen. Cornyn sought to attach this bipartisan measure to the 2009 Defense Authorization Bill earlier this month after it received unanimous support in the Senate but it was ultimately blocked on a procedural motion.
Sen. Cornyn first recognized the need for this legislation after meeting with Larraine McGee of Huntsville in July. 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 16 troops and two contractors have been killed by electrocution while deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror.
“Our troops who are working in tremendously dangerous places like Iraq and Afghanistan have a reasonable expectation that their equipment and facilities will be safe. It is imperative that preventable hazards such as electrocution are eliminated” Sen. Cornyn said.
“This legislation would require the Pentagon to certify to Congress that it has established and is enforcing tougher safety standards for facilities infrastructure and equipment used by U.S. troops overseas. It has already received strong bipartisan support in Congress so I am hopeful it can be passed quickly by both the House and the Senate before Congress adjourns this month.”
“Our troops already face numerous dangers on the battlefield and should never be at risk of electrocution through faulty equipment or facilities” said Congressman Ortiz. “This legislation will ensure our military installations meet high safety standards and will stop this disturbing trend of our troops being at avoidable risks.”
Electrocution while the most troubling 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.
The Cornyn-Ortiz legislation would require the Department of Defense to certify to Congress by March 30 2009 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.
