Bill > HR6204

This bill, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2020, provides a federal cause of action for individuals who were stationed, lived, or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987 and were exposed to contaminated water at the base. The bill allows these individuals to bring lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to seek relief for harms caused by or associated with the water exposure, regardless of any prior claims that may have been dismissed. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to show a preponderance of evidence linking the water exposure to the harm, and studies on humans or animals can be used to satisfy this burden. The court has exclusive jurisdiction and venue over these cases, and any awards would come from the U.S. Judgment Fund, with attorneys' fees limited to those allowed under existing federal law. The bill also imposes a statute of limitations and prohibits punitive damages.