Sen. Cornyn Introduces Legislation To Ensure Troops Overseas Have Safe Equipment, Infrastructure And Facilities
Press Release
Sen. Cornyn Introduces Legislation To Ensure Troops Overseas Have Safe Equipment, Infrastructure And Facilities
Leads bipartisan effort to eliminate preventable hazards that have killed U.S. troops overseas
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. "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."
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