Josh Hawley: “I want to add a few words to my friend Senator Lujan's eloquent statement of the need to do justice to these good…”

“I want to add a few words to my friend Senator Lujan's eloquent statement of the need to do justice to these good Americans who have--let's just tell it like it is--been poisoned by their own government, who have been exposed to nuclear waste, nuclear radiation by the U.S. Government, by the U.S. Defense Department. These Americans are happy to do their part for national security. They are proud of what they have done for their country. But they deserve to be recognized, and they deserve to be compensated. And so I want to add again my voice in support of justice for these Americans. And I want to say again to this body that it is wrong--it is wrong--to turn our backs on these tens of thousands of Americans who have given their health and, in many cases, their lives for their country and not been recognized for it; in many cases not been compensated for it. And now they are told that because of the actions of this body, because of the conference report, because of a backroom deal struck in conference, this program that compensates victims of nuclear radiation will soon expire. And tens of thousands of Americans who have relied on this program for 30-plus years for lifesaving health and treatment will get nothing. The lights will go dark, and these Americans will be turned out into the cold. And thousands more--like the residents of my State and New Mexico and other States around this country who deserve compensation--will get nothing.…”