Senator Murray’s Resolution Marking Day of Remembrance for Nuclear Weapons Workers Passes Senate Unanimously 

Murray’s bipartisan resolution establishes October 30^th as a national day to remember America’s nuclear workforce, including Hanford workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, a resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to make October 30^th a “National Day of Remembrance for the Workers of the Nuclear Weapons Program of the United States” passed the Senate with unanimous support. The resolution honors the hundreds of thousands of nuclear weapons workers who have sacrificed so much for our national defense since WWII, including those working at the Hanford site in Washington state.

“Every person in this country owes a debt of gratitude to our nuclear weapons workers, and that’s why I’m proud to lead this annual resolution commemorating October 30^th as a day to honor the bravery and sacrifices of our nation’s nuclear workers, including at the Hanford site in Washington state,” said Senator Murray. “Nuclear workers deserve more than recognition—they need better resources and access to the highest-quality health care after working with radioactive and toxic substances for years. As long as I’m in the U.S. Senate, you can count on me to be a voice for these workers who sacrificed so much for this nation.”

The Nuclear Weapons Workers Day of Remembrance Resolution:

• Honors the hundreds of thousands of patriotic men and women, including plutonium processors and uranium miners, millers, and haulers, that have served the United States by building nuclear weapons for the defense of the United States since World War II;
• Recognizes the contributions, services, and sacrifices that those patriotic women and men made for the defense of the United States;
• Designates October 30, 2023, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program of the United States, including plutonium processors and uranium miners, millers, and haulers, and onsite participants at atmospheric nuclear weapons tests; and
• Encourages the people of the United States to support and participate in appropriate ceremonies, programs, and other activities to commemorate October 30, 2023, as a national day of remembrance for past and present workers of the nuclear weapons program of the United States.

Since 2009, on October 30th of each year, the U.S. Senate has recognized the contributions, services, and sacrifices of nuclear weapons program workers across the country. The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM).

Senator Murray has long worked to make sure the federal government honors its moral and legal obligation to clean up the Hanford site and protect Hanford workers, fighting against repeated efforts to slash funding for vital Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup efforts and advocating to ensure Hanford workers received back pay for sick leave and regular pay during work-stop periods throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Senator Murray got her Beryllium Testing Fairness Act included in the Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will help workers at nuclear weapons sites nationwide, including Hanford, access care for diseases caused by toxic beryllium exposure.

The text of the resolution is below and HERE.

###