Biden signs Camp Lejeune Justice Act veterans exposed to contaminated water gain right to sue

President Biden signs the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 as part of the PACT Act, allowing veterans, their families, and workers who were exposed to contaminated drinking water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina between 1953 and 1987 to file claims or lawsuits against the US government for resulting illnesses. The contaminated water contained volatile organic compounds including TCE, benzene, and PCE, linked to a range of cancers and other serious diseases. Prior federal law blocked such lawsuits. More than 900,000 veterans and family members lived or worked at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period. The act is included alongside the broader PACT Act expanding healthcare for burn pit and toxic exposure veterans.