Several lawmakers are calling for an apology and restitution for Black, Japanese American, Puerto Rican and White soldiers who were exposed to mustard gas as part of a military experiment in WWII, reports Al Jazeera Ammerica.
Their concerns follow reports from NPR about the experiments and subsequent confirmation by the Department of Veteran Affairs.
“It’s so shocking and so … backward,” California Rep. Mike Honda told NPR. “I think the DoD [Department of Defense] and even the Congress need to acknowledge [what happened]” through a “formal apology.”
Mustard gas is known to cause blistering of the skin and mucous membranes on contact.
The VA has admitted it has not tracked down the 4,000 soldiers who were ordered to take part in the experiments or given compensation.
You can read the VA’s response to the lawmakers and what the White House is saying in Al Jazeera Ammerica.
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