Lindsey Graham: “I rise in support of the Floyd D. Spence Authorization Act and encourage the adoption of this rule. This legislation…”

“I rise in support of the Floyd D. Spence Authorization Act and encourage the adoption of this rule. This legislation contains many provisions that are important to the defense of this great Nation and to our veterans. However, I want to speak briefly on title 36 of the bill, which establishes the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program to provide timely, uniform, and adequate compensation to employees or their survivors for illnesses incurred during the performance of their duties for the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons program. The legislation requires the President to submit to Congress by March 15 of next year a legislative proposal that identifies the types and amendments of compensation for individuals whose health was adversely affected by their work at DOE facilities, and the procedures for providing those benefits and compensation. If Congress does not act by July 31, 2001, to enact a compensation program, eligible employees exposed to beryllium, radiation, and those working in gaseous diffusion plants will be entitled to a lump sum payment of $150,000 and medical care for their disease.”