Senators defused a fight over Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune water contamination-related lawsuits that threatened to stall final action Thursday on the annual defense policy bill.
A last-ditch effort by Senate Republicans to amend the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act with a measure capping attorneys’ fees in Camp Lejeune-related lawsuits had earlier thrown a wrench into efforts to quickly pass the sweeping defense policy bill. But Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, the amendment’s lead sponsor, agreed to back off his demand for a vote after securing an hour on the floor to speak before withdrawing his amendment.
The amendment Sullivan offered would have limited legal fees to 2 percent for Lejeune cases filed in federal court after Aug. 10 and at 10 percent in cases filed before that date.