ST. LOUIS — Victims living in St. Louis, who were exposed to radioactive contamination from nuclear waste during the federal government-run Manhattan Project, are one step closer to receiving financial compensation after the U.S. Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri).
The amendment, which passed the Senate 61-32, would entitle victims to compensation under the National Defense Authorization Act.
"For 50 years, the federal government has put into the water, into the soil, into the air of St. Louis and surrounding regions, radioactive nuclear material," Hawley said on the Senate floor. "They have not compensated the people of St. Louis, they have not helped the people of St. Louis. In fact, just the opposite. For decades, they told the people of St. Louis 'There's no problem here.'"
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) joined Hawley in co-sponsoring the amendment.
“It’s unconscionable that this radioactive waste was allowed to be recklessly dumped around the St. Louis area, and the ones paying for it the most are innocent St. Louis families. I grew up in Bridgeton, at the epicenter of this issue, and this is near and dear to my heart. The federal government has an obligation to keep Americans safe, and the pure negligence that has harmed St. Louisans has been brushed aside and covered up for far too long. I’m proud to co-sponsor this amendment with Hawley in order to ensure this disaster is rectified and radiation victims in St. Louis are taken care of,” Schmitt said.
If it passes, a person could claim compensation through the Attorney General's Office.
Who could be eligible?
- The individual would have to be physically present in an affected area for at least two years after January 1, 1949.
- Contracted a specified disease.
- If the family member died, a spouse or child could make a claim.
If a claimant has lived or worked in the affected areas and developed any of the illnesses listed within a certain time frame, a claimant can get medical expenses paid or a one-time payment of $50,000.
Click here to see the full amendment that has a list of zip codes affected and diseases.
Co-founder of Just Moms STL, Dawn Chapman, advocated for this for a decade.
She said, "This is truly a miracle. I do feel like we have an opportunity here to get this passed. If you’re a health care provider listening, we need your help."
The amendment, and the bill it's attached to, will next move to a conference committee before moving to the U.S. House of Representatives. If it passes there, it will move to be signed by President Joe Biden, potentially getting compensation to victims in the next few weeks or months, Hawley told 5 On Your Side.
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The letter comes after the Associated Press reported that the federal government and companies responsible for nuclear bomb production and atomic waste storage sites in St. Louis were aware of health risks, spills, improperly stored contaminants and other problems, but often ignored them.
Watch Hawley's adoption of the amendment to provide funding to victims of the St. Louis region below:
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner announced Wednesday that she was in support of Hawley's plan:
“I proudly supported the House-passed NDAA that authorized historic raises for our troops, gives our military the resources needed to stand up to China and Russia, and included my amendment to stop the scourge of human trafficking. Now that the Senate has passed their own version of the NDAA, House and Senate leaders from the Armed Services Committees will need to reconcile the differences between the bills before it can become law. I am supportive of the Hawley amendment being included in the merged bill, and hope that the conference committee chooses to include it in the final version, so I have the opportunity to vote for its passage. I am hopeful that Senator Schmitt, as a Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will be named a conferee and fight for all of Missouri’s interests in the upcoming negotiations. The St. Louis area was significantly impacted by our country’s WWII nuclear program, and I will continue to advocate for those affected by it.”
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