MO HCR45

Requests the Adjutant General establish a voluntary reporting program for Missouri National Guard members exposed to depleted uranium to track illnesses and birth defects attributed to such exposure.

Directs the Adjutant General to develop an education plan for Missouri National Guard members and health care professionals regarding early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depleted uranium exposure.

Requires the Adjutant General to make recommendations on implementing a cost-effective screening and treatment plan and submit findings and recommendations to the General Assembly.

Cites depleted uranium as a radioactive heavy metal with a 4.5 billion year half-life that can cause kidney damage, lung damage, cancer, and genetic mutations when inhaled or ingested.

Notes that Missouri National Guard members serving in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 invasion were exposed to depleted uranium munitions and armor in unknown doses.