Senator Murray: “They may not be telling the story of these workers on the silver screen—yet. But as long as I am in the Senate, you can bet their voices will be heard in the halls of our nation’s Capitol.”
ICYMI: Murray’s Bill to Help Hanford Workers Suffering from Toxic Beryllium Exposure Included in Must-Pass National Defense Authorization Act
ICYMI: Murray secures major funding boost for Hanford cleanup in draft appropriations bill
***VIDEO of Senator Murray’s Floor Speech is HERE***
Washington, D.C) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about her legislation to help more Hanford workers and nuclear weapons complex workers across the country access care for diseases caused by toxic beryllium exposure. Senator Murray’s Beryllium Testing Fairness Act was added to the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in an overwhelming 96-2 vote last week and its inclusion means it is likely to become law less than a year after Murray first introduced the bill. Currently, federal laws place an overly burdensome proof of illness requirement on nuclear weapons complex workers, preventing many workers from getting the care they need for diseases caused by beryllium exposure. Senator Murray’s bill would update these testing requirements consistent with the latest science to ensure that more workers—past and present—dealing with health issues caused by beryllium exposure receive the health care benefits they need and deserve.
“My legislation makes sure workers are getting support to deal with one of the most dangerous threats they face at Hanford—beryllium exposure,” Murray said on the Senate floor today. “This is a serious health risk that can cause severe respiratory disease, irreversible scarring of the lungs, and lung cancer. Now, Congress passed legislation in 2000 providing care to those who have made incredible sacrifices by working on our nuclear arsenal but here’s the thing: not everyone who needs those critical medical benefits for beryllium exposure can get them today. That’s because the diagnostic standard is outdated and out of line with the current science.”
“Workers in America, who are cleaning up one of the most toxic and radioactive nuclear sites on the planet, should not have to jump through cumbersome and unnecessary hoops, and have the care they need delayed or even denied, all because the standard is outdated,” Murray continued. “This bill will help make sure we don’t lose precious time getting workers the support they need to manage this awful disease…They may not be telling the story of these workers on the silver screen—yet. But as long as I am in the Senate, you can bet their voices will be heard in the halls of our nation’s Capitol.”
For decades, beryllium was used to cap fuel rods at the Hanford site. Beryllium is a toxic metal, exposure to which can cause beryllium sensitization, or, in more advanced cases, Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD). CBD causes scarring of the lungs, causing many other respiratory problems, including an increased incidence of lung cancers. Currently, the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA), through which Hanford workers dealing with issues stemming from their exposure to beryllium receive care and benefits.
As the law is currently written, someone must present one abnormal blood test in order to receive benefits and care for their illness through EEOICPA. Many workers or former workers, however, receive “borderline” test results for years while symptoms manifest or they never get an “abnormal” result at all. Murray’s legislation, which was adopted via amendment and incorporated into the must-pass NDAA last week, would amend EEOICPA to count three “borderline” results in three years as sufficient evidence to receive a diagnosis of beryllium sensitization. This provision would apply to former, current, and future workers so no one would face unfair barriers to care.
Murray’s legislation would also extend the Department of Labor’s independent Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health through 2029. The Board is charged with advising the Secretary of Labor on matters relating to workplace safety for workers onsite with toxic substances and is instrumental in helping improve the federal compensation process for workers, including those at Hanford, to gain the health care and benefits they deserve.
Murray’s legislation is supported by the Hanford Worker Engagement Center, National Jewish Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado, and the Center for Health, Work & Environment, Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado.
As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray secured record funding for Hanford in the draft Energy and Water Development funding bill for Fiscal Year 2024—the legislation has advanced out of committee and is awaiting a floor vote. The legislation includes $3.032 billion for Hanford—an increase of $195 million above last year’s funding level—which includes $1.042 billion for Richland operations, a $35.5 million increase, and $1.89 billion for the Office of River Protection, a $160 million increase.
A one-pager on the Beryllium Testing Fairness Act is HERE.
Photos and video of Senator Murray meeting with Hanford workers and health experts to discuss her bill last August are HERE.
Senator Murray’s full remarks as delivered:
Thank you, M. President—M. President, last week, we saw an important step to recognize the legacy of our nuclear weapons program and live up to our obligations to the people and communities still touched by that work.
And no, I am not talking about a movie!
The new release may focus on part of the story, but there is another important chapter I will not let us overlook or forget one that takes place in my home state of Washington, one that is not over yet, and that is Hanford, where men and women in my state are diligently now doing the hard, dangerous work of cleaning up one of the most hazardous nuclear waste sites on the planet.
As some of my colleagues may know, during World War II, the federal government established the Hanford site in Central Washington state to produce the plutonium our nation needed for nuclear weapons.
And Hanford wasn’t just where they made the plutonium, it’s also where they left 177 tanks—56 million gallons—of highly toxic radioactive waste.
For decades now, workers have been doing the critically important work—and very dangerous—work of cleaning up that site.
I have fought for decades to make sure the federal government lives up to its moral and legal obligation to support our Hanford workers and clean up the Hanford site, and I am still fighting to make sure we live up to those obligations today.
That’s why I meet regularly with workers from Hanford to hear about the challenges that they are facing and the help that they need.
And it is exactly why I have been pushing so hard to get my Beryllium Testing Fairness Act passed—and I was thrilled the Senate voted overwhelminglylast week, 96-2, to add this to our annual Defense bill.
My legislation makes sure workers are getting support to deal with one of the most dangerous threats they face at Hanford—beryllium exposure.
This is a serious health risk, that can cause severe respiratory disease, irreversible scarring of the lungs, and lung cancer.
Now, Congress passed legislation in 2000 providing care to those who have made incredible sacrifices by working on our nuclear arsenal, and I fought to make sure that this covered medical costs for those with Chronic Beryllium Disease, and provided cash benefits to people who have been diagnosed with this disease.
But here’s the thing: not everyone who needs those critical medical benefits for beryllium exposure can get them today.
That’s because the diagnostic standard is outdated and out of line with the current science.
Right now, to qualify for advanced medical monitoring, you have to show an abnormal blood test.
But if your blood test is “borderline” for beryllium sensitization, that doesn’t count toward your diagnosis at all even when you are plainly experiencing the effects of beryllium exposure, or even if it’s your third such borderline result.
That’s not right—and by the way it is not consistent with today’s science!
Workers in America, who are cleaning up one of the most toxic and radioactive nuclear sites on the planet, should not have to jump through cumbersome and unnecessary hoops, and have the care they need delayed or denied, all because the standard is outdated.
That’s why my bill will update the statute—and bring it in line with an OSHA rule that was finalized under the last Administration—so that three “borderline” tests count as conclusive, and more workers can get the care they need.
Now let me take a step back to make clear why this policy matters.
Less than a year ago, when I met with Hanford workers to talk about my bill and to hear their stories
I heard from one worker whose name was Tina. And she talked about her friends and neighbors—people who power the work at Hanford.
She talked about how a colleague’s mom got Beryllium disease.
And then she retired, and after many years of working at this site, she’s now not out chasing her grandkids around—she can’t.
She doesn’t have the lung capacity to run around and play with her grandchildren.
It’s heartbreaking, but it’s not an uncommon story in the Tri-Cities, and why this bill matters.
Yes, it’s technical. Yes—it may not seem like a big difference if you aren’t involved in this kind of work day-to-day.
But this bill will help make sure we don’t lose precious time getting workers the support they need to manage this awful disease.
M. President, I am glad we are on track to get this passed into law now, and there is a lot more I want to get done to make sure we are living up to the obligation to take care of those workers, but this is meaningful, important progress.
They may not be telling the story of these workers on the silver screen—yet.
But as long as I am in the Senate, you can bet their voices will be heard in the halls of our nation’s Capitol.
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