WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The United States Senate passed an act that would compensate victims of radiation exposure around the nation.
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) passed Thursday on a vote of 69 to 30. Its prospects in the House are uncertain.
The bill by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include more people who believe their illnesses were caused by that exposure. While many Republicans have balked at the cost — an estimated $50 billion, according to Hawley’s office — the senators have argued that the government is at fault and should step up.
The bill has seen widespread support in both St. Louis and throughout Missouri as the health impacts of Coldwater Creek and other areas of nuclear contamination were revealed to be dire. Hawley invited Dawn Chapman, an advocate for radiation victims, to Washington D.C. on Tuesday to attend the State of the Union.
Chapman is the co-founder of Just Moms STL, a group demanding change and compensation for victims impacted by radioactive waste. That waste is connected to the development of the nation's first atomic bomb.
Just Moms co-founder Karen Nickel said the moment was amazing when the votes came in.
"I am pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in that place. We know we have work to do, but this was a victory. It was a victory for St. Louis. We are one step closer. We’ve had people telling us this is never going to go anywhere and here we are moving those mountains," Nickel said.
Nickel said they've already been talking to House members.
"Hope is all that we have right now," Nickel said.
President Joe Biden also backed the act earlier in the day on Thursday, signaling he would sign the act into law if it arrived at his desk.
“The president believes we have a solemn obligation to address toxic exposure, especially among those who have been placed in harm’s way by the government’s actions,” according to a White House memo.
The bill now heads to the U.S. House for debate and a possible vote. Persuading the GOP-led House to take up and pass the legislation could be more difficult. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) is among those pushing for the measure.
Uranium processing in the St. Louis area played a pivotal role in developing the nuclear weapons that helped bring an end to World War II and provided a key defense during the Cold War. But eight decades later, the region is still dealing with contamination at several sites.
In July, an investigation published by The Associated Press, The Missouri Independent and MuckRuck showed that the federal government and companies responsible for nuclear bomb production and atomic waste storage sites in the St. Louis area were aware of health risks, spills, improperly stored contaminants and other problems but often ignored them.
While it is difficult to prove definitively that residents' illnesses were caused by the waste, the advocates argue that there is more than enough evidence that it has sickened people in the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Top St. Louis headlines
Get the latest news and details throughout the St. Louis area from 5 On Your Side broadcasts here.