Political Quotes

“The amendment I wish to address, and I know Senator Harkin and Senator Talent will address it, is the Energy Workers Special Exposure Cohort Designation Act of 2004, which I will be offering on behalf of myself, Senator Harkin, and Senator Talent. It will designate former nuclear production facilities in Missouri and Iowa as special exposure cohorts under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. This was a very compassionate act designed to provide lump sum payments of $150,000 to people who had worked in the nuclear weapons production program from 1942 to 1967--way before we understood the dangers of radiation--and who suffered very high levels of radiation and have now been diagnosed, suffered, and many have died from multiple cases of cancer. This problem was brought to my attention by Denise Brock, whose father had died while waiting for the bureaucracy to work through the steps set up under the program to qualify for that particular $150,000 compensation.”