Political Quotes

“Mr. President, earlier this summer, millions of Americans learned about the origins of our country's nuclear program. What, perhaps, more Americans are learning about now are the tens of thousands of brave American citizens who risked their health and, in many instances, gave their lives to make that program a success. And what many are learning now is that those Americans who risked their lives, who gave their health, did it without the knowledge that their government was exposing them to nuclear radiation, without the consent from their government, and for years and years and years without any kind of help or any kind of compensation, so much so that in 1990, this body passed a landmark piece of legislation that compensates the victims of the government's Oppenheimer-era nuclear program--those who were exposed to nuclear tests, those who were exposed to the radiation from nuclear waste without their consent and often, usually, in fact, without their knowledge. This body passed a landmark piece of legislation that included some findings that I just want to read here. This body said: The health of those individuals who were unwitting participants in these tests and were put at risk to serve the national security interest of the United States deserve compensation. They went on to say--this body did--that the United States should recognize and assume responsibility for the harm done to these brave Americans.…”