Depleted Uranium Munitions Suspension and Study Act of 2006

H.R. 5303, the Depleted Uranium Munitions Suspension and Study Act of 2006, would have halted the use, sale, and export of military weapons containing depleted uranium until their safety could be independently certified. The bill required the Department of Health and Human Services to verify that these munitions do not pose long-term health risks to U.S. service members, international allies, or civilian populations living in conflict zones.

If enacted, the bill would have launched comprehensive studies into the health effects of depleted uranium on veterans and their children, while also requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate potential contamination at domestic production and testing sites. The practical impact for citizens would have been an increase in federal oversight regarding toxic exposure for military families and a mandatory cleanup plan for any American soil found to be contaminated by these materials.