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Contributed commentary by Congressman Mark Green:

Shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. forces were deployed to Karshi-Khanabad (K2), a former Soviet base, because of its close proximity to al-Qaida and Taliban targets in northern Afghanistan. From 2001-2005, nearly 15,000 U.S. troops participating in Operation Enduring Freedom were exposed to toxic chemicals there. Many K2 veterans have now died from rare forms of cancer and other diseases, while others are left with debilitating health conditions.

For more than two decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) refused to provide K2 veterans the medical care they needed. It took years of advocacy to get their stories heard, but today, lawmakers know what K2 is and what happened there.

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Sadly, K2 veterans are dying at an increasing rate, and there’s a desperate need for medical care for those who are still battling toxic exposure-related illnesses. We cannot wait any longer. These veterans deserve swift action and medical care.

That’s why I introduced the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 alongside Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Massachusetts). The bill establishes additional presumptions of service connections for certain diseases – including cancer – that occur in veterans who suffered toxic exposure while serving at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base.

It shouldn’t take decades to determine a link between toxic exposure during military service and diseases like cancer. We now know military leaders were supposed to communicate with K2 servicemembers about health risks, but many claim no briefings ever took place. Further, declassified documents produced by the U.S. military in 2001, 2002, and 2004 reveal servicemembers were exposed to a variety of petrochemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which was known in 2001 after subsurface soil testing.

As someone who survived two forms of cancer – likely from burn pit exposure – and flew through Camp Stronghold Freedom with my unit, I understand what these families are going through. They shouldn’t be forced to jump through bureaucratic hoops to receive care from the VA. My bill is a significant step forward in the fight to ensure K2 veterans receive the medical care they need and deserve.

Mark Green