David Obey: “The purpose of the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program is to fairly compensate our Nation's former…”

“The purpose of the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program is to fairly compensate our Nation's former nuclear workers for illnesses they contracted while serving our country. Former Department of Energy employees who are now elderly and ill have been subjected to bureaucratic run-arounds by the agencies responsible for adjudicating their claims. The Department of Labor is responsible for administering compensation for these former nuclear workers, and I concur with the gentleman from Iowa that a report from the Secretary detailing the administration of the compensation program would provide Congress with highly valuable insight into the agency's implementation of the program. Streamlining and expediting the method through which claims are processed and compensation provided is in the best interests of the families and claimants to whom our country owes its deepest gratitude and respect. I'd be happy to work with the gentleman to request this information from the Department and to ensure that the true intent of the program is being carried out with due diligence by the administration.”