Hawley urges action as Biden considers aid for Oppenheimer nuclear test victims.
Sen. Josh Hawley Calls on President Biden to Take Action for Nuclear Test Victims
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is urging President Joe Biden to follow through on his recent statements offering support for victims of nuclear testing. During a visit to a wind tower factory in Belen, New Mexico, Biden expressed his willingness to assist those affected by government nuclear testing, stating, “I’m prepared to help in terms of making sure that those folks are taken care of.”
This declaration from the president comes after he watched the film Oppenheimer, a gripping retelling of the origins of the New Mexico nuclear testing site. Hawley commended Biden for his support, viewing it as an endorsement of the legislation he crafted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
“Compensating victims of government-caused nuclear contamination and negligence should not be a partisan issue. It’s about justice. I am glad President Biden has announced his support of our amendment, but now we need action,” Hawley said in a statement Thursday. “This amendment must be included in the final negotiated defense bill that the President signs into law. And we also must hear from the Biden Administration about their next steps to support victims in the St. Louis area and beyond.”
Hawley’s amendment received Senate approval with a 61-37 vote last month. The senator introduced the amendment after the Weldon Spring site in Missouri criticized the Department of Energy’s cleanup and monitoring efforts in 2021. As a result, Hawley called for compensation for victims of radioactive contamination at a site in St. Charles County, Missouri.
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) also sponsored the amendment on behalf of constituents in his state who were affected by the federal government’s nuclear bomb testing between 1942 and 1945. The site, known as Trinity, is now the White Sands Missile Range and is owned by the Department of Defense. It offers tours twice a year.
Oppenheimer, the film that inspired Biden’s support for nuclear test victims, has earned an impressive $552.9 million since its release three weeks ago, making it the highest-earning World War II film to date.
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