James M. Talent: “I wish to say a few words on our amendment, but before I do that, let me take a minute to compliment again Senator Bond…”

“I wish to say a few words on our amendment, but before I do that, let me take a minute to compliment again Senator Bond, who laid down the amendment and Senator Harkin for cosponsoring it, to assist former employees in Iowa and Missouri who were affected because they worked in plants that produced the atomic materials from which we made the atom bombs which won the war and then kept us safe. Because of their exposure to the radiation, they have become ill and they deserve compensation. They are not getting it because of the convoluted procedures that are currently in place. We simply want to allow them to be treated separately as already occurs with employees in the four States. I admire the way Senator Bond has fought like a tiger for those employees. I have joined him in doing that. I appreciate the work of the managers of the bill in trying to figure out a way to accept that amendment. I hope we can, indeed, do that. It is just a matter of justice for these employees.”